The December PMI registered 48.2 percent, a decrease of 0.4 percentage point from the November reading of 48.6 percent. Rise to 49.1 was anticipated. The New Orders Index registered 49.2 percent, an increase of 0.3 percentage point from the reading of 48.9 percent in November. The Production Index registered 49.8 percent, 0.6 percentage point higher than the November reading of 49.2 percent.
The Employment Index registered 48.1 percent, 3.2 percentage points below the November reading of 51.3 percent. As was the case in November, 10 out of 18 manufacturing industries reported contraction in December. Contraction in new orders, production, employment and raw materials inventories accounted for the overall softness in December.
Euro is currently being traded few points above 1.08r0 level, Sterling is around 1.4730 handle, while Aussie is above 0.7180.