Key findings:

• Slower falls in autos output, new orders and employment
• Strongest decline in metals & mining output in over seven years
• Food, financial services and technology dominate growth rankings

 
Global Sector PMI indices are compiled from responses to questionnaires sent to purchasing managers in IHS Markit's global PMI survey panels, covering over 27,000 private sector companies in more than 40 countries. Indices are available for the basic materials, consumer goods, consumer services, financials, healthcare, industrials, technology and telecommunication services industry groups, and sub-sectors of these groups.

Global output of automobiles & parts continued to decline in October, extending the current downturn to just over a year. That said, the rate of contraction slowed for the third month running, to the weakest since November 2018. Moreover, new orders were only fractionally lower than in September, and employment in the sector fell only marginally.

Four other sectors recorded lower activity in October, most notably metals & mining where output dropped at the fastest pace since September 2012. Forestry & paper products also posted a stronger decline, while industrial goods and industrial services both saw only mild contractions. A further two sectors, real estate and tourism & recreation, registered broadly no change in activity since September.

Beverages & food recorded the strongest growth of output in October, followed by five sectors from the broad financials and technology groups. That said, rates of expansion were generally weaker than the long-run series averages.