MADRID, 3 Abr. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The growth of the manufacturing sector in Spain accelerated in March for the second consecutive month and reached its highest rate of expansion since June 2022, with a reading of 51.3 points compared to 50.7 in February, according to S

A key element was the growth of the order book, after a sequence of nine months of decline, although the same trend was not observed with respect to external demand, whose new orders fell for the thirteenth consecutive month, and they did so, moreover, at a stronger rate than in February.

To adapt to the rising levels of production, companies increased their workforce at the end of the first quarter of 2023, which implies the second consecutive increase in job creation and the strongest in just over a year.

On the other hand, in March the first reduction in average operating expenses since July 2020 was registered thanks to the relief from the prices of raw materials and energy. However, the prices charged continued to increase in March, as companies chose to pass on previous increases in their costs to their customers.

"It is encouraging to see an improvement in the behavior of the internal market in Spain, since the data from the latest survey show the most pronounced growth in manufacturing production in just over a year, as well as a further improvement in the volumes of the portfolio of orders," said Laura Denman, economist at S