Malaysia:Manufacturing PMI contracts less sharply in September

Malaysia's manufacturing PMI contracted for the eighteenth straight month inSeptember, though at 48.6, this was the highest reading since January 2016. Weakexternal demand remained a major drag, with new export orders sinking further.

    Meanwhile, overall new orders dropped as well, albeit as a slower pace thanbefore. Encouragingly, employment in the Malaysian manufacturing sector isshowing signs of stabilization. Manufacturers also continue to face marginpressures, with the rise in input prices accelerating sharply, the highest in thesurvey history, and outpacing gains in output prices.