HANOI, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's manufacturing activity expanded at its slowest pace in six months in March as rising input costs weighed on output and demand, local daily VnEconomy reported Wednesday.
The S&P Global Vietnam Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index fell to 51.2 in March from 54.3 a month earlier, marking the weakest improvement since September 2025, according to the report.
The Middle East conflict pushed selling prices up at the fastest rate since April 2011, while elevated inflationary pressures dampened market demand, leading to a slowdown in output and new order growth.
Supply chain disruptions also intensified, with delivery times lengthening at the sharpest pace in four years, the report said.
Andrew Harker, economics director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said that the near-term outlook remains gloomy unless disruptions linked to the conflict and the Strait of Hormuz are quickly resolved. ■
