Mexico’s factories contract for 26th straight month, inflation near four-year high

Mexico's manufacturing sector contracted for the 26th month in a row in April, as factories responded to shrinking demand with a further downward adjustment to output and input costs surged, a survey showed Monday.

The seasonally adjusted S&P Global Mexico Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose to 49.3 in April, up from 49.2 in March, though still below the 50 threshold that separates growth from contraction.

The slight uptick in the PMI was propelled by an upturn in employment, while output, new orders and stocks of purchases contracted, the survey said . . .