India’s service sector signals solid expansion in October

04 Nov 2020 Evaluate

India’s service sector signalled solid expansion in the month of October, as the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions enabled to secure new work and lift business activity. As per the survey report, the seasonally adjusted Nikkei Services Business Activity Index rose to 54.1 in October from 49.8 in September. Further, the Nikkei India Composite PMI Output Index -- which measures both manufacturing and services - surged to  58.0 in October from 54.6 in September.

The report also noted increase in new work intakes, on the back of successful marketing efforts and strengthening demand. The upturn in bookings was solid and ended a seven-month sequence of contraction. The domestic market was the key source of new business gains, as new orders from abroad declined further. The deterioration in international demand for Indian services was the slowest since March, but nevertheless sharper than any recorded prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Besides, amid reports of workers on leave failing to return and difficulties in hiring staff due to the coronavirus disease 2019, services employment decreased again in October. The pace of job shedding was solid and matched that recorded in September. Furthermore, payroll numbers contracted across the five monitored sub-sectors. As a result of falling employment and rising orders, backlogs of work increased. Despite being solid, the overall rate of accumulation softened to a four-month low.

On the price front, input costs increased in four of the five monitored categories, the exception being a stabilisation at Information & Communication firms. Some service providers lifted their fees amid the pass-through of rising cost burdens to their clients, but the vast majority of firms left their prices unchanged from September. As a result, the overall rate of charge inflation was marginal and the slowest in the current three-month period of increases. Moreover, optimism towards the year-ahead outlook for output strengthened.

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