Zambia Composite PMI

Last Release

Jul 31, 2024

Actual

49.4

Units In

Points

47.9

Frequency

Monthly

Next Release

N/A

Time to Release

N/A

Highest	Lowest	Average	Date Range	Source
54.7 Nov 2017	34.8 May 2020	48.86 Points	2017-2024	Markit Economics

The Stanbic Bank Zambia Purchasing Managers’ Index is based on data compiled from monthly replies to questionnaires sent to purchasing executives in approximately 400 private sector companies, which have been carefully selected to accurately represent the true structure of the Zambian economy, including agriculture, construction, industry, services and wholesale & retail. The panel is stratified by GDP and company workforce size. Survey responses reflect the change, if any, in the current month compared to the previous month based on data collected mid-month. A reading above 50 indicates an overall increase in that variable, below 50 an overall decrease. The Purchasing Managers’ Index™ (PMI™) is a composite index based on five of the individual sub-components with the following weights: New Orders - 0.3, Output - 0.25, Employment - 0.2, Suppliers’ Delivery Times - 0.15, Stock of Items Purchased - 0.1, with the Suppliers’ Delivery Times sub-component inverted so that it moves in a comparable direction.

Latest Updates

The Stanbic Bank Zambia PMI rose to 47.9 in October 2024, up from 45.6 in the prior month. This marks the 11th successive monthly downturn in the Zambian private sector albeit to a much smaller extent than in the previous survey period. Softer contractions were observed in output, new orders, and employment, despite the continued impact of load-shedding. Purchasing activity and stocks also decreased at a slower pace. On the price front, both input inflation and selling charge inflation slowed down. Finally, output expectations for the coming year picked up slightly from September's six-month low, but sentiment remained historically subdued.