The United Kingdom’s private sector started the year on a stronger footing, as the S&P Global Composite PMI climbed to 53.7 in January 2026, up from a previous reading of 51.4. The latest figure, updated on 04 February 2026, points to a firmer expansion in overall business activity across manufacturing and services.
The increase from 51.4 to 53.7 keeps the index comfortably above the 50.0 threshold that separates growth from contraction, indicating that UK economic activity continued to improve over the period. While both the previous and current readings are reported for January 2026, the updated figure suggests that conditions were more robust than initially measured.
The stronger composite PMI reading will likely be interpreted as a sign of gathering momentum in the UK economy at the start of 2026, with businesses experiencing a more pronounced uptick in output and demand than earlier data had implied.
