June saw further strong growth in output across the UK private sector, according to the latest PMI® data compiled by IHS Markit and CIPS. The overall expansion in activity was only slightly slower than the record posted in May and among the fastest since the series began in January 1998. Marked increases in output were seen across both the manufacturing and service sectors as the economy continued to reopen following the COVID-19 lockdown earlier in the year. Companies responded to rising workloads by taking on extra staff at an unprecedented rate at the end of the second quarter. Also hitting previously unsurpassed ... (full story)