Scottish Activity Index Falls to 47.3 in July as Hiring Hits Fastest Pace Since Sept 2024
Updated
Updated · MarketForces Africa · Aug 15
Scottish Activity Index Falls to 47.3 in July as Hiring Hits Fastest Pace Since Sept 2024
1 articles · Updated · MarketForces Africa · Aug 15
Summary
47.3 on the Royal Bank of Scotland Business Activity Index marked Scotland’s fourth straight monthly contraction in July, down from 47.6 in June even as private-sector hiring accelerated.
22 consecutive months of falling new orders drove the weakness, with firms citing subdued economic conditions, geopolitical uncertainty and customer reluctance to commit; Scotland posted the steepest sales decline among 12 UK regions and nations.
Service providers led the payroll increase while goods producers cut staff, making Scotland an outlier as nearly every other monitored UK area reported falling employment.
Input-cost and selling-price inflation both eased in July, confidence rose to a four-month high from April’s low, but optimism remained historically subdued and second-lowest in the UK after Northern Ireland.