RIYADH: The UAE continues to witness strong growth in business conditions across the non-oil economy although its Purchasing Managers’ Index slightly declined to 56.1 in September over the previous month, the latest data from S&P Global revealed.
August had recorded a slightly higher PMI of 56.7, but S&P considers any readings above 50 as growth while those below 50 are marked as contraction.
Hence, the September PMI figure of 56.1 is indicative of a strong improvement in the health of the non-oil private sector, it said.
“The UAE PMI was slightly lower at 56.1 in September, after August’s 38-month high of 56.7, but was nonetheless indicative of another strong pace of improvement in the non-oil economy,” said David Owen, an economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence.
As strong new business growth continued to drive increases in output and employment, S&P noted that firms also encountered relatively mild price pressures, as input costs rose only slightly after a renewed fall in August.
He added: “At a time of heightened global recession risks, these findings suggest that domestic businesses are keeping well clear of economic storms in other regions, helped by above-trend rates of growth in output and new business as the country continues to recover from the pandemic.”
