Czechia’s Manufacturing PMI compiled monthly by the market intelligence company S&P Global Market Intelligence posted 48 in November, which is slightly up on 47.2 posted in October, but still below the 50 point mark separating growth and decline development. (chart)

PMI ended a four-month skid amid a renewed rise in new export orders, and after it clinched the 50-point mark in June for the first time in more than three years.

“November data signalled supply chain disruption in the Czech manufacturing sector, but more upbeat news on demand conditions internationally,” commented Siân Jones, Principal Economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence.

She added that “although new orders continued to decline overall, there was a renewed increase in new export sales,” and that “this largely stemmed from efforts by firms to diversify and broaden their client base.”

The increase in new export orders was the first since February 2022, S&P noted, but also noted that production levels fell at a faster pace in November amid sustained decrease in new orders and supply chain disruption.

Czech manufacturing companies again resorted to cutting work forces, but these were reported as slower than in October and focused mainly on not replacing voluntary leavers and on redundancies, S&P pointed out.

Purchasing activity also contracted, however, falling in line with the trend of the past three-and-a-half years, and a renewed decline in stock of finished goods was also registered by S&P, which also noted shortages “of some items included in the manufacture of magnets and chips” following stricter Chinese export controls.

Input costs intensified in November amid supplier shortages and greater energy costs, but “the rate of inflation was relatively subdued.”

Despite rising optimism in a bounce back in output next year, “the positive sentiment was the second lowest in 2025 to date.”

Jones concluded by saying that “underlying data continued to signal challenges for Czech goods producers, as confidence remained historically muted and staffing levels and purchasing activity were scaled back again."