FX.co ★ UK Manufacturing Growth Slows to 5-Month Low

The UK Manufacturing PMI slipped to 51.5 in August 2026, a five-month low, from 51.9 in July, according to flash estimates. Manufacturing output growth slowed, rising only marginally and at the weakest pace in five months, as geopolitical uncertainty and elevated cost pressures continued to constrain expansion. Input cost inflation accelerated for the first time in four months, driven by fuel surcharges, higher transportation costs, rising raw material prices and increased food costs. Tight budgets and heightened risk aversion were reported as ongoing drags on order books. Overall, average cost burdens rose sharply in August, with the pace of inflation picking up from July’s five-month low.