UK Private Sector Growth Slows to Three-Month Low in September

• UK Composite PMI fell to 51.7 in September, marking a three-month low.
• Services PMI missed forecasts, while Manufacturing PMI unexpectedly rose.
• Overall output growth suggests a modest 0.1% quarterly economic expansion.

The United Kingdom’s private sector growth decelerated to a three-month low in September, according to the latest S&P Global/CIPS Flash PMI data. The Composite Output Index fell to 51.7, down from 52.5 in August and below the anticipated 52.0. This slowdown was primarily driven by the services sector, where the PMI registered 51.7, missing the 52.0 forecast. In contrast, the Manufacturing PMI unexpectedly improved to 52.0 from 51.7, surpassing the 51.5 expectation. S&P Global indicated that the current pace of output growth is consistent with a modest 0.1% quarterly economic expansion, with businesses citing subdued domestic conditions and geopolitical uncertainty as headwinds.