BMI: The manufacturing industry ended the year with sustained expansion

The December figure not only exceeded the November level, but also surpassed the long-term monthly average. The BMI was higher than the December values ​​of the past three years and is considered the seventh best December result in historical comparison since 1995.

Nine of the survey’s sub-indices remained in the recovery range. The volume of new orders continued to increase, production volumes showed an expansion, while the employment index rose above 50 points again. The index of purchased stocks also rose, indicating a pick-up in production activity.

External market indicators showed a mixed picture: the export index increased slightly, while the import index fell compared to the previous month. Purchase prices increased in December, the index value increased by more than five percentage points, indicating an increase in cost pressures. Respondents reported more significant price increases for metals, paints and certain industrial raw materials, among others, while they experienced shortages of semiconductors and hot-rolled sheets.

According to the MLBKT summary, a turnaround occurred in the second half of 2025: after the summer slowdown, the manufacturing industry resumed its expansion path in the last third of the year, which is also confirmed by the December BMI data.