The Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) calculated by Standard Bank, reveals an increase in orders, which consequently gave a new lease of life to Mozambican companies in the month of October. In the period under review, the index released this Monday, points out that business activity grew to 52.1, the highest value of the last four months.

"The new orders have given rise to renewed production growth and the hiring of more staff," but there are constraints "in the supply chain" which has forced an "extension of delivery times since August 2020," the report reads.

Still, the Standard Bank paper points out that higher raw material prices have put further pressure on companies' acquisition costs.

Standard Bank's PMI index results from the responses of purchasing managers from a panel of about 400 private sector companies.