Australia’s S&P Global Flash Composite PMI fell to 50.8 in September 2026 from 52.7 in August, its lowest level since June. Despite the decline, the reading signaled a fourth consecutive month of expansion in private-sector activity. The services sector continued to grow, though at a slower pace for the second month in a row, while manufacturing output contracted further, posting its sharpest decline in 21 months amid a renewed slump in order books.
New orders rose for a third consecutive month but at the weakest rate in that period, and export orders declined for the fifth time in six months, reflecting persistent softness in manufacturing. Employment fell for the first time in four months and recorded its steepest drop since October 2020, even as backlogs of work edged up slightly.
On the price front, both input and output cost inflation picked up, with higher energy and fuel costs linked to conflict in the Middle East identified as a key factor. Nonetheless, overall inflation remained well below levels seen in the second quarter. Business confidence also deteriorated, slipping to a three-month low.
