The latest NatWest PMI report for the West Midlands signalled a substantial improvement in the health of the local economy.
Besides retreating price pressures and a recovery in business sentiment, the data showed that a renewed increase in new orders pushed output inside growth territory.
The headline Business Activity Index, a seasonally adjusted index that measures the month-on-month change in the combined output of the region's manufacturing and service sectors, rose from 49.0 in January to 53.0, above the 50.0 threshold for the first time in seven months and at its highest mark since April 2022.
