Malaysia’s S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (survey measure of factory activity) edged down to 50.2 in August 2026 from 50.7 in each of the previous two months. New-order growth slowed, contributing to another moderation in manufacturing output. Employment increased for the first time in four months, while backlogs of work declined for a second consecutive month. Purchasing activity fell for the first time in five months as companies used inventories to meet demand, causing input inventories to decrease after two months of marginal accumulation. Input costs and output charges both rose modestly, but inflation eased to six-month lows and remained historically subdued. Business confidence was historically weak and broadly unchanged from July.