MANILA, Philippines — Factory activity in the Philippines slipped into contraction in September, underscoring a rare postpandemic setback for the country’s manufacturers.

The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), a widely tracked gauge of manufacturing health, fell to 49.9 last month from 50.8 in August, S&P Global said on Wednesday.

A reading below 50 signals a decline in activity.

https://business.inquirer.net/550075/philippine-factory-activity-posts-unusual-postpandemic-decline