Central Europe factory output rises factories across central Europe reported growth in output and new business in August, a recovery in the region gaining strength in the wake of Europe’s powerhouse Germany. Reuters reported on Monday that purchasing managers indices beat forecasts in Poland and the Czech Republic and also rose in Hungary, survey data showed on Monday. In Poland, the main HSBC manufacturing PMI index rose to 52.6 from 51.1 a month ago, the fastest expansion in over two years. The Czech index jumped to 53.9, above forecast of 52.7. Hungary, which uses a different index released by the Association of Logistics, Purchasing and Inventory Management, reported a jump to 51.7 from 49.0. Central Europe is closely tied by trade links to Germany and its strong performance has a knock-on effect on the region. Germany reported a 0.7 per cent economic expansion in the second quarter and recent data has provided further evidence the economy is bouncing back from a slowdown last year. “It confirms what we already know – that we have the worst behind us and that we are in a recovery,” Urszula Krynska, economist at Millennium Bank said of the Polish figures. “Economic growth will be accelerating in upcoming quarters, we expect full-2013 growth at 1.3 per cent.” The figures helped the zloty firm 0.1 per cent against the euro. Polish data on Friday confirmed that growth in the European Union’s largest eastern economy picked up to an annual 0.8 per cent from 0.5 per cent a quarter earlier, recovering gradually from the deepest slump in years. The Czech index added to the case for the central bank to hold off intervening in foreign exchange markets to weaken the crown currency and aid growth. “It is strongly positive, not only the headline figure but also the composition is very good,” said David Marek, chief economist at Patria Finance.
Posted on: Tue, 03 Sep 2013 15:53:30 +0000
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