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UK manufacturing growth beat expectations in April, partly due to clients bringing forward purchases to mitigate expected price rises, data published by S&P Global showed Friday. The S&P Global manufacturing purchasing managers’ index improved to a 47-month high of 53.7 points in April from 51.0 points in March, and beating the flash reading of 53.6 points that was released in late April. Climbing further above the neutral 50-point mark separating growth from contraction, it indicates UK manufacturing growth sped up in April. New export businesses rose for the fourth consecutive month but at a weaker level than in March. Intakes of new work improved from clients in the US, China, Japan, and India, S&P Global noted. However, business optimism fell to its lowest level in a year during April amid concerns about the impact of the war between US-Israel and Iran. S&P Global highlighted: ‘Supply chain pressures continued to build in April. Average vendor performance deteriorated to the greatest extent in almost four years, linked to ongoing complications caused by the Middle East war and restrictions on transit through the Strait of Hormuz. Shortages of freight capacity, port disruptions and customs delays were also mentioned by manufacturers.’ Perhaps more positively, S&P Global said: ‘Companies still expect new product launches, planned marketing activity, improved client confidence and hopes for a more stable geopolitical backdrop to support output growth over the coming year.’ Rob Dobson, director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said: ‘April saw the growth rate of the UK manufacturing sector recover after being hit by the impacts of the war in the Middle East during March. The headline PMI rose to a near four-year high, as the trends in output and new orders strengthened. Staffing levels were also increased for the first time in 18 months.’ However, he cautioned: ‘The upturn comes with several of catches, however. Restrictions on transit through the Strait of Hormuz are causing substantial disruptions to input deliveries, with supplier lead times lengthening to the greatest extent in almost four years. The resulting material shortages are exerting steep pressure on purchasing costs. Input prices rose at one of the fastest rates in the 34-year survey history, and at a pace rarely exceeded outside of the pandemic-related inflationary surge of 2021-22.’ Dobson added: ‘It should also be noted that the gain in production is partly the result of clients bringing forward purchases to mitigate expected price uplifts and supply disruptions. As this process unwinds later in the year, alongside declining business optimism, growth in the sector could cool while inflationary pressures remain on high heat.’ The PMI survey draws upon a panel of 650 companies in the UK manufacturing sector, with responses collected between April 9 and 27. Final services and composite indices will be released Wednesday. Copyright 2026 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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