Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 2, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 2, 2026
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Italy’s manufacturing PMI rose to 50.6 in February, signaling expansion after two months of contraction. Output and new orders improved, though export orders declined. The recovery remains fragile amid uneven external demand.
ROME, March 2 (Reuters) - Italy's manufacturing sector expanded in February after two months of contraction, a survey showed on Monday, offering some hope of a near-term economic pick-up.
The Italian HCOB Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose sharply to 50.6 from January's 48.1, climbing above the 50-mark that separates growth from contraction.
The sub-indexes for output and new orders both rose above 50 for the first time in three months, standing respectively at 51.5 and 50.8 from 47.1 and 47.4 the previous month.
However, the indicator for new export orders fell to 47.6, indicating contraction for a third month in a row and at a faster pace compared to January's reading of 48.9
The overall improvement in manufacturing conditions in February "still rests on a fragile foundation," said Hamburg Commercial Bank AG economist Jonas Feldhusen.
The euro zone's third-largest economy grew by 0.3% in the fourth quarter of last year from the previous three months, slightly more than expected.
Italy's government has a full-year growth target of 0.7% for this year after an estimated 0.5% rate in 2025.
(Reporting by Antonella Cinelli, editing by Gavin Jones and Toby Chopra)
Italy's manufacturing sector expanded in February, ending two months of contraction as indicated by a rise in the PMI.
The Italian Manufacturing PMI rose to 50.6 in February from 48.1 in January, moving above the growth threshold of 50.
Output rose to 51.5 and new orders to 50.8, both moving above 50 for the first time in three months.
New export orders decreased further to 47.6, showing continued contraction for the third consecutive month.
Italy's government has set a full-year growth target of 0.7% for this year.
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