Manufacturing expands in US, Colombia and Spain as jobs rise

September data showed stronger activity across manufacturing in the United States, Colombia and Spain, though cost pressures and uncertainty remained prominent. U.S. manufacturing expanded for a ninth straight month, with new orders and employment improving, but the prices index rose sharply amid concerns about inflation and trade-related disruption. Colombia’s manufacturing PMI edged higher as output, orders and hiring increased, while input-cost inflation eased; earthquake-related disruptions slowed supplier deliveries. Spain’s manufacturing PMI returned to expansion as production and export orders grew, and employment stabilized after a year of declines, although overall orders remained weak and energy-driven costs pushed prices higher. Spain also recorded a seasonally adjusted employment gain of nearly 109,000, while registered unemployment rose by less than in August; the government’s worker-regularization process contributed to both figures increasing. Spanish manufacturers nevertheless reported their strongest business confidence since February, anticipating stronger demand over the coming year.