Category Archives: Services PMI

6/1/21: BRIC: Services PMIs: 4Q 2020

 

BRIC's manufacturing PMIs for 4Q 2020 were covered here: https://trueeconomics.blogspot.com/2021/01/4121-bric-manufacturing-pmis-4q-2020.html. Now, to Services PMIs:

  • Brazil Services PMI rose from 47.5 in 3Q 2020 to 51.4 in 4Q 2020, with aggregate 2020 levels of activity still significantly below 2019 levels. At 51.4, the index is barely statistically above 50.0 (95% confidence bound is 51.3). However, the latest quarterly reading is the first nominally above 50.0 after three consecutive quarters of sub-50 readings. 
  • Russia Services PMI crashed in 4Q 2020 from 56.8 in 3Q to 47.7. Statistically, Russian services sector is contracting and it is contracting rapidly. In the entire 2020, there were three quarters of deeply sub-50 readings against one quarter of above 50.0 expansion. Services sector reading is basically identical to 47.6 recorded in Manufacturing sector, which means that in 4Q 2020 there was no 'comfort zone' in the Russian economy in terms of growth.
  • India Services PMI rose significantly in 4Q 2020 compared to 3Q 2020, from 41.9 to 53.4.  However, this growth is unlikely to bring India's services activity anywhere near pre-Covid19 levels. 
  • China Services PMI rose for the third consecutive quarter in 4Q 2020. In 2Q 2020, China's Services PMI was at 52.6, which increased to 54.3 in 3Q 2020 and to 57.0 in 4Q 2020. Nonetheless, it is still doubtful that Chinese services activities have fully recovered from the pandemic as of the end of 2020.
  • Overall, BRIC Services Activity Index based on PMIs and respective GDP shares in the global economy rose for the second quarter in a row from 51.0 in 3Q 2020 to 54.8 in 4Q 2020. This marks some recovery from the Covid19 pandemic impact, although this recovery remains incomplete. BRICs have - as a group - outperformed Global Services PMI which rose from 51.4 in 3Q 2020 to 52.3 in 4Q 2020.

5/11/20: BRIC: Services PMIs October

In the earlier post, I covered BRIC economies manufacturing PMIs for October: https://trueeconomics.blogspot.com/2020/11/31120-bric-manufacturing-pmis-october.html. Now, leet's take a look at Services PMI.


As the chart above illustrates:
  • Brazil Services PMI rose from 47.5 in 3Q 2020 to 52.3 in October. Prior to October, Brazil's services sector was in a contractionary territory for three consecutive quarters. October marks the second month of above 50.0 readings, although statistically-speaking, September reading was indistinguishable from 50.0 stagnation / zero growth level.
  • Russian Services PMI posted a sharp contraction, falling from 56.8 in 3Q 2020 to 46.9 in October. Russia enjoyed just three months of > 50.0 readings in July-September 2020, implying that the economy is nowhere near a V-shaped recovery from the pandemic and that things are getting worse, not better in the services sectors. Even worse dynamics apply to Manufacturing where Russia has not seen sustained > 50 readings since March 2019.
  • India Services PMI rose to 54.1 in October, marking the first month of above 50.0 readings since February 2020. Given cumulative nature of the PMIs, October rebound is nowhere near being sizeable enough to start closing the pandemic-induced drop-off in economic activity. India's services have now posted seven months of contraction in 2020, compared to four months for Manufacturing. October marks the first month since February with both indices above 50.0.
  • Chinese Services PMI rose to 56.8 in October, compared to 54.8 in September, marking 6th consecutive month of both Manufacturing and Services PMIs above 50.0 line. 
Overall, BRIC Services Activity Index (a measure of Services sectors activity calculated by me based on monthly Markit PMI data and country-specific share of the world GDP, PPP-adjusted) rose to 54.9 in October compared to 51.0 in 3Q 2020, marking a second month of > 50.0 readings and accelerating growth momentum. October BRIC reading is in excess of the Global Services PMI reading of 52.9, implying that as a group, BRIC economies are contributing positively to global economic growth momentum, although both Brazil and Russia are pushing BRIC reading down, compared to Global Services PMI.

14/10/20: BRIC: Services PMIs Q3 results

 

BRIC Manufacturing has rebounded strongly from thee pandemic lows, as covered in this post here: https://trueeconomics.blogspot.com/2020/10/141020-bric-manufacturing-pmis-q3.html. Services PMI for the BRIC economies signal similar, albeit weaker rebound in July-September:


Brazil Services PMI stayed in the recession territory in 3Q 2020, with index reading coming in at 47.5, up on 30.3 in 2Q 2020, but still marking a third consecutive quarter of sub-50 readings. Put simply, unlike manufacturing that is showing rather incredible signs of the recovery, Brazil's services sectors continue to show ongoing contraction, building on 6 consecutive months of contracting activity through August 2020. September monthly reading at 50.4 is statistically indistinguishable from zero growth line of 50.0. In summary, Brazil's services sector is not in a recovery so far.

Russia Services PMI posted very strong recovery signals in 3Q 2020, although September reading slipped to 53.7 (fast growth) from blistering 58.5 and 58.2 in July and August, respectively. 3Q 2020 Russia Services PMI was at 56.8 marking a sharp turnaround from 36.0 in 2Q 2020. This is the fastest pace of quarterly expansion since 1Q 2017.

India Services PMI remains in contraction, with 3Q 2020 reading of 41.9, an improvement on sharper rates of deterioration in 2Q 2020 at 17.2. September marked seventh consecutive month of sub-50 readings in Services sector in India.

China Services PMI came in at 54.3 in 3Q 2020, up on 52.6 in 2Q 2020, marking second consecutive quarter of recovery from the pandemic lows of 1Q 2020 when the index fell to 40.4. 

Overall, BRIC Services Activity Index - an index compiled by me based on GDP shares and Markit monthly PMI data - rose from 40.4 in 2Q 2020 to 51.0 in 3Q 2020. Given the nature of PMIs as signals of monthly changes in activity, 3Q 2020 reading is consistent with the BRIC block services sectors recovering only partially from the pandemic lows. BRIC Services Activity Index ended 3Q 2020 at the levels slightly below the Global Services PMI which stood at 51.4. Global services sectors are also showing more rapid rate of quarterly recovery, rising from 35.6 in 2Q 2020 to 51.4 in 3Q 2020.


8/9/20: BRIC: Services PMIs

Services sector activity as reflected by PMIs from the BRIC economies is now available for August, so here are the top numbers: 

In terms of actual readings, and do recall, quarterly PMIs referenced above are averages over three months period, so 3Q 2020 data is only covering July-August 2020.
  • Brazil Services PMI was nowhere near the insane reading posted by the country Manufacturing PMI (see post here: https://trueeconomics.blogspot.com/2020/09/8920-bric-manufacturing-pmis.html). Services index came in at 46.0 for the period of July-August (3Q 2020 to-date), up on disastrously low 30.3 in 2Q 2020, but still well below 50.0 line of zero growth. Reading PMIs, this means that the sector activity continued to contract in 3Q 2020 so far, on top of the already sharp contraction experienced in 1Q 2020 and 2Q 2020.
  • Having set no records in Manufacturing, Russia Services PMI came out with a massive and seriously surprising print to the upside in August. As the result, 3Q 2020 to-date Services PMI rose to 58.4 for the highest reading since 2Q 2009. As massive as the print is, it is pretty 'normal' for volatile Russian services data. Still, the recovery it signals is sharp, as 2Q 2020 COVID19 trough was at a misery-inducing 32.0. The implied trough-to-peak swing is jaw-dropping 26.4 points.
  • China Services PMI rose in the first two months of 3Q 2020 to 54.1 from already expansionary 52.6 in 2Q 2020. Trough-to-peak COVID19 swing is now at 13.7 points, and the latest reading is the highest since 4Q 2010, when the index stood at 54.2.
  • India Services sectors are still in sharp contraction. Recall: in 2Q 2020, India Services PMI crashed, smashed, collapsed, melted down, or whatever else you might call, falling from 54.1 in 1Q 2020 to 17.2 in 2Q 2020, the lowest reading for any BRIC economy in any sector at any time. So far, in 3Q 2020, the index is running at 38.0, which implies that India's services sectors continue to contract from already reduced activity in prior quarter. In the light of this super-sharp recessionary dynamic, it is impossible to reconcile Manufacturing sector PMI and Services sector PMI in this economy.

Overall, BRIC Services Activity Index - a measure I compute using a range of data inputs, including Markit's PMIs - came in 49.9 in 3Q 2020 (to-date), an improvement on 2Q 2020 reading of 40.4 and above 1Q reading of 44.9. Nonetheless, across the four largest EM economies, Services activity continues to contract for the third quarter in a row, nominally, and it is standing still statistically. In this, BRIC economies are distinct from the Global Services PMI indicator, which rose from 35.6 in 2Q 2020 to 51.3 in 3Q 2020 (to-date). 


Stay tuned for BRIC Composite PMIs next.

8/5/18: BRICS DECK: Part 2: PMIs, Investment and Inflation


In a recent post (http://trueeconomics.blogspot.com/2018/05/3518-brics-deck-2018-imf-updates.html) I have provided top level analysis of growth dynamics in the BRICS economies based on the IMF WEO April 2018 update. Here is the section of my BRICS deck with updated view on PMIs, Aggregate Investment and Inflation: