The manufacturing sector in Australia continued to contract in August, and at a faster rate, the latest survey from Judo Bank revealed on Wednesday with a manufacturing PMI score of 49.4. That's down from 49.6 in July, and it moves further beneath the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction. Fewer new orders led to manufacturing output shrinking fractionally in August. In turn, firms lowered their purchasing activity, though average staffing levels continued to rise alongside sentiment about the 12-month outlook for production. The level of business confidence among Australian manufacturers ... (full story)