Business activity in the West Midlands was "broadly stagnant" in July as the region saw its second monthly fall in sales, the latest NatWest PMI report have revealed.
The headline Business Activity Index – a seasonally adjusted index measuring month-on-month change in the combined output of the region’s manufacturing and service sectors – fell from 51.1 to 50.3, moving closer to the 50.0 mark that shows the economy is entirely flat.
Those polled for the survey in the West Midlands said their growth was restricted by poor demand, subdued market confidence and inflationary pressures.