PMI: Dec factory activity at 7-month high but business optimism weakens

Solid growth in demand was despite output prices rising at the fastest rate in nearly three years

India's factory activity expanded at its fastest pace in seven months in December as a jump in new orders prompted companies to ramp up production, a private business survey showed on Thursday.
 

Business optimism fell to an almost three-year low, however, as companies worried about challenging market conditions.

The Nikkei Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index , compiled by IHS Markit, rose to 52.7 in the final month of 2019 from November's 51.2.
 

The reading was the highest since May. It also remained above the 50-mark that separates growth from contraction for a 29th month, the longest since July 2013.
 

"The uptick in