PMI in Focus: Turning Timely Economic Signals Into Strategy

In this episode of The Decisive Podcast from S&P Global Market Intelligence, host Paul Smith, Economics Director, is joined by fellow economists Sian Jones and Andrew Harker to unpack the role of Purchasing Managers' Indices (PMI) in tracking economic trends across more than 40 countries and multiple sectors. They explore how PMI data offers a timely alternative to official statistics, helping organizations monitor conditions in output, prices, inventories, and supply chains when events are moving quickly. The discussion looks at how PMI data is used to understand the impact of major global developments—such as conflict in the Middle East—on shipping, energy costs, input prices, and supply shortages, including through specialized tools like comment trackers and commodity price indices. It also highlights how combining PMI with Comparative Industry Service (CIS) sector forecasts supports corporate teams in setting sales expectations, identifying investment opportunities, and aligning near-term signals with 20‑year outlooks for production, profits, sales, and capex. Whether you're in strategy, risk, or operations, this episode shows how PMI and CIS insights can help you navigate uncertainty, assess resiliency, and make more informed decisions about demand, output, and supply chain performance. More S&P Global Market Intelligence Content:

• PMI research home page
• Click here to access our Debrief on the US-Iran Conflict Escalation webinar
• Click here to subscribe to our Geopolitical and Economic Risk Monthly newsletter

For S&P Global subscribers (login required):

• Comparative Industry Briefing
• Global Executive Summary: Choppy markets, resilient economies
• 2026: The age of agility

Credits:

• Host: Paul Smith
• Guests: Andrew Harker, Sian Jones
• Produced By: Kristen Hallam
• Edited By: Marz Marcello
• Published With Assistance From: Sophie Carr, Feranmi Adeoshun