The S&P Global Australia Manufacturing PMI was revised up to 52.0 in July 2026, from a preliminary estimate of 51.7 and a final reading of 51.5 in June. This was the strongest expansion since January, driven by a return to growth in both output and new orders. The latest figure also marked a fourth consecutive month of expansion, with output and new orders increasing for the first time in five months, though the pace of growth remained only modest.
In contrast, new export orders continued to fall, underscoring ongoing weakness in external demand. Employment rose for a third straight month, with job creation solid and accelerating to its fastest rate since January. Meanwhile, backlogs of work declined for the fifteenth consecutive month, as firms were again able to keep pace with incoming workloads.
On the price front, input cost inflation eased to a five‑month low, while output price inflation also moderated slightly. Looking ahead, business confidence strengthened.