FX.co ★ Austria Manufacturing PMI Downturn Eases

In October 2025, the UniCredit Bank Austria Manufacturing PMI experienced an uptick, increasing to 48.8 from September's 47.6. This rise is attributed to a modest boost in output, marking the third increase within a four-month span, as companies opted to sustain production by utilizing existing backlogs. Although new orders saw a slight decline, this represents their slowest decrease in three and a half years, indicating potential signs of improvement in both domestic and international demand. Similarly, export sales showed only a slight dip, reflecting a stabilization in demand from crucial European trading partners. However, employment faced a more pronounced contraction, experiencing its steepest decline since March, as manufacturers continued to align their workforce reductions with the decreased overall workload. On a positive note, business sentiment demonstrated significant improvement, reaching its most optimistic point since early 2022. This rise in confidence is fueled by expectations for a gradual economic recovery both domestically and internationally.