Romania's manufacturing index PMI ends 2024 at year's lowest level

Romania Manufacturing PMI, compiled by financial group BCR, ended 2024 at 46.4, the weakest on the 18-month record, after a 1.6-point monthly contraction and six consecutive months in the negative territory.

Record low new orders were the main contractionary factor this month.

Output, employment, and stocks of purchases indexes were also lower in December compared to the previous month.

The 2024 Q4 PMI average is lower compared to the previous quarter, which is seen by BCR's analysts explaining the PMI dynamics as possibly indicating a negative contribution from industry to GDP growth in the last quarter of the year.

For 2025, however, BCR remains optimistic about Romania's manufacturing sector, which "might see growth, contingent on external demand."

(Photo: Kanok Sulaiman/ Dreamstime)