Key findings:

• Output indices at record lows everywhere except healthcare services
• Tourism & recreation again the worst hit area with Business Activity Index at 10.6
• Healthcare services posts strongest expansion since September 2012

Global Sector PMI indices are compiled from responses to questionnaires sent to purchasing managers in IHS Markit's global PMI survey panels. 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.

The escalating coronarvirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in April resulted in record falls in output across every global sector monitored except healthcare services. The series began in October 2009 as the global economy started to recover from the global financial crisis.

Healthcare services activity rose at the strongest rate since September 2012, although output at its sister sector pharmaceuticals & biotechnology fell as operations were impacted by lockdowns. That said, the pharmaceuticals sector was still ranked in second place overall in April. Tourism & recreation and media, which together form the consumer services group, registered the fastest rates of decline in April.

Behind the two healthcare sectors, the slowest falls in output were in five manufacturing sectors, led by beverages & food. Software & services, automobiles & auto parts and household & personal use products came next in the rankings, followed by the four finance-related sectors, of which real estate posted the fastest decline as property markets froze due to lockdowns. Forestry & paper products and construction materials were the worst-performing manufacturing sectors in April, while transportation also registered one of the fastest declines of all areas monitored.