India, Feb. 3 -- The euro area manufacturing sector shrank at a slower pace in January as contractions in output, orders, inventories and purchasing activity slowed, final survey results from S&P Global showed on Monday.
The final HCOB manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose to an eight-month high of 46.6 in January from 45.1 in December. The flash reading was 46.1.
Although the reading was below the critical 50.0 threshold, it signaled the softest fall since May last year.
Both orders and output declined at the slowest pace since May 2024. Moreover, export markets were less of a drag on factory sales performances, the survey showed. Factories tapered their purchasing activity, although the decline was the softest seen for eight mo...