20.08.202623:00:00UTC+00Australia’s Private Sector Momentum Eases as August S&P Global PMI Slips to 52.5

Australia’s combined S&P Global Manufacturing & Services PMI eased in August 2026, pointing to a slower pace of private sector expansion. The composite indicator slipped to 52.50 from 53.20 in July, on a month‑over‑month basis, according to data updated on 20 August 2026.

Despite the decline, the headline reading remains above the 50-point threshold that separates expansion from contraction, indicating that activity in both manufacturing and services continues to grow, albeit more moderately. The July 2026 print of 53.20 had marked a stronger month‑over‑month improvement compared with the preceding period, making August’s softer result a sign of cooling momentum.

The month‑over‑month comparison framework shows August’s “Actual” reading reflects the change from July to August, while the “Previous” figure for July captured the change from June to July. This underscores a trend of deceleration in growth rather than an outright downturn in Australia’s private sector activity.