World Factory Activity Weakens on Global Slowdown, Cost Pressures

World Factory Activity Weakens on Global Slowdown, Cost Pressures
Children play on a ground as smoke is emitted from chimneys of a Chemicals and Fertilizer plant on the eve of World Environment Day in Mumbai, India, on June 4, 2019. Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters
Reuters
Updated:

LONDON/TOKYO—Global factory output mostly weakened in September as slowing demand added to the pain from persistent cost pressures and tighter monetary policy, surveys showed on Monday, diminishing economic recovery prospects.

The data clouds the outlook for a sustained recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and could add to concerns of a global slowdown as major central banks embark on the most aggressive round of interest rate rises in decades to tame soaring inflation.