The Markit PMI™ (Purchasing Managers’ Index™) series are among the most closely watched economic indicators in the world, tracking business conditions in over 30 countries. They provide advance insight into the private sector economy by tracking variables such as output, new orders, employment and prices across key sectors. Economic analysts, business decision makers, forecasters and policy makers leverage the PMI surveys to better understand business conditions in a given economy. Central banks in many countries use the data to help make interest rate decisions, and analysts in the financial markets use PMI data to forecast official economic data. (Source: www.markit.com)