The Italian manufacturing sector improved on its strong January performance, with the rate of growth accelerating sharply, according to the latest PMI® data. Factory production and new work rose at the steepest rates for three years, amid reports of a sustained surge in demand. Subsequently, goods producers took on staff at a rate not seen since mid-2018, while the year ahead outlook for output remained historically elevated. Cost pressures continued to mount, however. Ongoing supply chain disruptions and shortages led to the fastest rate of cost inflation for nearly a decade. The seasonally adjusted IHS Markit Italy ... (full story)