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Italian manufacturing sector rooted in a downturn
The Italian manufacturing sector remained under pressure at the start of the final quarter. The latest HCOB PMI® data showed declines in new orders and output worsening, with a substantial decline in the international sales environment weighing heavily on demand conditions. Buying activity was reduced sharply as a result, which partly led input prices to fall for the first time since March. Meanwhile, selling prices were discounted further. Most notably perhaps, stocks of purchases were depleted at one of the quickest rates seen on record. The HCOB Italy Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ IndexTM (PMI®), a ... (full story)