Pakistan LSMI contracts 5% MoM in August

Mettis Global reported that Pakistan's large scale manufacturing output declined 4.96 per cent month on month in August 2026, based on provisional figures from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. The Quantum Index of Manufacturing stood at 113.19 for the month, compared with 119.10 in July. Measured year on year, output edged up 0.67 per cent from 112.45 in August 2025.

Across July and August combined, output grew 1.85 per cent year on year, with the index at 116.14 against 114.03 a year earlier. Automobiles rose 32.45 per cent over the two months, garments increased 16.69 per cent and petroleum products climbed 15.48 per cent. Fertilizers fell 7.55 per cent and iron and steel dropped 11.48 per cent in the same period.

Within August alone, petroleum products rose 31.85 per cent year on year, while automobiles gained 11.66 per cent and garments grew 10.85 per cent. Food output fell 10.49 per cent, chemicals dropped 12.93 per cent and pharmaceuticals declined 8.86 per cent. Other manufacturing, shown as football in the data, declined 37.97 per cent. Wearing apparel contributed 2.85 percentage points to growth over July and August, the largest single contribution, while food subtracted 1.20 points.