Doha: The Eurozone's manufacturing sector contracting in April.

According to Qatar News Agency, the index's reading for April came in at 49, up from 48.6 in March. Readings below 50 indicate a contraction, while readings above it signal growth.

Manufacturing output in April recorded its strongest growth in just over three years. However, new orders continued to decline slightly, with a drop in export demand, reaching its lowest level since April 2022. Purchasing activity also continued to decrease, along with pre-production and post-production inventories.

Meanwhile, business growth expectations fell, with confidence dipping to its lowest level since the beginning of the year. April also saw manufacturers continue to reduce their workforce, although the rate of decline was the slowest in 10 months.