Gauges of factory activity across Asia signaled expansion at the end of the third quarter as artificial-intelligence demand offset cost pressures and supply disruptions caused by the Iran-US conflict.
South Korea's headline PMI rose to 53.9 with exports surging 83.5% year-on-year to top $120 billion, while India's HSBC manufacturing PMI climbed to a seven-month high of 55.1 in September.
Oxford Economics forecasts 2026 industrial production growth for the Asia-Pacific region at 4.9% while downgrading its 2027 outlook to 4.0% due to potential higher energy costs and tighter monetary policies.