At 50.4 in July, the seasonally adjusted Markit/ADACI Italy Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index ® ( PMI ® ) signalled an improvement in the overall health of the Italian manufacturing sector at the start of the third quarter. Up from 49.1 in June, the headline index was at its highest level since May 2011, boo sted by growth in output and new orders, and also slower declines in both employment and stocks of purchases. Firms meanwhile benefitted from a further, albeit slower, decrease in input costs, with output prices also falling at a moderated pace on the month. The level of output at Italian manufacturers ... (full story)