UK May factory PMI upgraded to 53.9, beating initial estimates and prior month

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The S&P Global UK Manufacturing PMI rose to 53.9 in May 2026 compared with initial estimates and April’s 53.7, marking the strongest expansion since May 2022.

"The sustainability of the upturn remains in doubt, however. The recent upturn in new order intakes that is driving the expansion in output is heavily reliant on both manufacturers and their clients front-loading purchases to mitigate expected war-related price increases and supply chain disruption. This bounce will fade once customers have built up sufficient safety stocks," said Rob Dobson, Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence.

"These price and supply factors are also having a direct impact on manufacturers, with cost inflation rising to a near four-year high and pressure on supply chains leading to material shortages and longer lead times. This will continue to constrain manufacturers and put growth at risk for as long as geopolitical uncertainty, war in the Middle East, and risks to key transport routes such as the Strait of Hormuz continue to pose a threat," he noted.

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