Malaysian manufacturing downturn worsens further in May: Nikkei PMI

Kuala Lumpur

THE slump in Malaysian manufacturing continued to deteriorate in May with production and new orders decreasing at a significant pace, and prompting producers to cut back on purchasing activity for the 12th month running, according to the Nikkei Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for the country.

On the price front, greater imported raw material prices and the increased sales tax resulted in the sharpest rise in input prices since February, in turn pushing producers to hike charges at the widest extent since December last year.