India’s services sector activities eased to a three-month low in April, as the rise in business activity was constrained by the pandemic and sentiment towards growth prospects faded, a monthly survey said on May 5.
The seasonally adjusted India Services Business Activity Index fell to 54 in April from 54.6 in March, the slowest increase in output in three months.
In PMI parlance, a print above 50 means expansion while a score below 50 denotes contraction.
“The PMI results for April showed a more resilient economic performance for the service sector than expected given the escalation of the COVID-19 crisis in India,” said Pollyanna De Lima, Economics Associate Director at IHS Markit.
Ms. Lima further noted that firms foresee higher output volumes over the course of the coming year, but business sentiment was dampened by worries surrounding the pandemic.
As per the survey, Indian services firms were optimistic regarding the 12-month outlook for business activity, but the overall level of positive sentiment fell to the lowest since last October. The escalation of the pandemic was the main drag on confidence.
On the prices front, service providers noted the steepest rise in overall expenses since December 2011. Some firms lifted their selling prices in April amid the pass through of rising cost burdens to clients, but 98% of companies left fees unchanged due to efforts to secure new work and remain competitive.
“One area of concern was inflation. Services firms noted the steepest rise in overall expenses in over nine years as global shortages of inputs and higher transportation costs continued to exert upward pressure on outlays,” Ms. Lima said.
