Myanmar manufacturing industry continues growth in March

2026-04-01 07:13:48

Abstract generation in progress

Investing.com – Myanmar’s manufacturing sector maintained steady growth in March. S&P Global’s Myanmar Manufacturing PMI stayed at 51.5, unchanged from February, indicating a mild improvement in operating conditions.

The first quarter of 2026 is the strongest-performing quarter since the third quarter of 2023, with operating conditions improving month by month since August.

New orders rose for the third consecutive month in March, with the growth rate slightly faster than in February. Manufacturers said increased demand from long-standing customers looking to build up inventories supported the expansion.

Output grew for the third consecutive month, with the growth rate broadly in line with new orders. This growth was the strongest in 15 months, even though it remained mild overall.

Sustained production demand led manufacturers to raise purchasing activity for the first time in 33 months, even though the increase was not large.

Continued material shortages put pressure on suppliers’ delivery times, with the pace of deterioration in lead times the fastest in five months. Since October, companies have been cutting pre-production inventories every month, and the pace of reduction has accelerated.

After a slight increase in February, employment returned to the contraction range; this was the sixth decline in the past seven months. Manufacturers attributed this decrease to widespread voluntary resignations, with the decline remaining smaller.

March’s input costs rose significantly, with the rate of cost inflation the fastest since August 2024. Manufacturers attributed the price increases to material shortages, transportation costs, fuel expenses, and unfavorable exchange rates. In response, businesses raised output prices to a level seen in the past 18 months.

Backlogs of work were accumulated for the 65th consecutive month, although the pace was the slowest in the current sequence. Labor shortages led to an increase in backlogs.

March’s output expectations for manufacturers weakened somewhat. Most manufacturers said they expect to maintain current output levels over the coming months.

This article was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence. For more information, please see our Terms of Use.

View Original

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.