KUWAIT CITY, Aug 5: The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) for Kuwait rose to 53.5 in July, up from 53.1 in June, marking a notable improvement in the non-oil private sector’s performance. This increase reflects strengthened business conditions and continued expansion for the 11th consecutive month, according to the latest data released by S&P Global Ratings on Tuesday.

The PMI, a composite indicator tracking the performance of Kuwait’s non-oil private sector, showed that the sector has remained firmly in growth territory throughout July. The improvement was driven by a sharp acceleration in new orders, which helped extend the expansion period that began in February 2023.

The key driver of the recent PMI increase was a significant rise in new orders, signaling that demand for goods and services continues to grow. Despite the surge in new orders, employment levels remained steady, following a record high in the previous month. This stability in workforce numbers was largely attributed to companies’ cautious approach to hiring, with some firms reluctant to take on additional staff due to cost concerns and efforts to complete ongoing projects on time.

While new export orders saw growth, the pace of expansion slowed to a three-month low, with businesses attributing the increase to advertising efforts and price discounts.

Inflationary pressures showed signs of easing at the beginning of the third quarter, which was welcomed by businesses. However, the increase in new orders led to a resurgence in backlogs, as companies struggled to meet demand while maintaining stable staffing levels. Despite the rise in backlogs, the pace of increase remained modest and the weakest observed since January.

In response to heightened competition, many firms were forced to implement price cuts to secure new orders. These efforts helped to contain input costs and limit the extent to which higher costs were passed on to customers.

Looking ahead, companies remained optimistic about future business prospects, with many expecting production to increase over the next year. However, confidence levels in the near term dipped to a three-month low, primarily due to the slow pace of hiring. Firms are focusing on diverse marketing strategies, including the use of digital channels, to maintain their competitive edge and support long-term growth.

Andrew Harker, Director of Economics at S&P Global, commented on the survey results, stating that Kuwait’s non-oil private sector began the second half of 2025 similarly to how it finished the first half, with strong growth in output and new orders. He highlighted that while employment remained largely unchanged, the sector’s continued expansion is promising for future business growth.

Harker also noted that companies were relieved by the easing of inflationary pressures but pointed out that hesitation to hire had led to an increase in backlogs of work. He expressed optimism that the ongoing growth in new business would eventually lead to a renewed hiring trend.

The July PMI results for Kuwait’s non-oil private sector reflect a period of sustained growth, driven by an increase in new orders and overall business activity. While inflationary pressures have eased, challenges remain in terms of staffing and managing backlogs. Looking forward, there is cautious optimism that the sector will continue to expand, with increased hiring expected in the coming months.

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: The Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC) announced a net profit of KD58.5 million for fiscal 2024/2025 – an increase of KD19.5 million or 33.3 percent compared to the profit of KD39 million in the last fiscal year. Oil sector sources pointed out that this strong financial performance was achieved despite the challenges posed by geopolitical instability; specifically, the disruptions in global supply chains and widespread shift to long-haul shipping routes, which significantly increased logistics costs. Sources attributed the company’s robust performance to several factors as follows:

Strategic Acquisitions and International Expansion Looking ahead, PIC is well-positioned for continuous profitability, driven by recent and upcoming acquisitions approved by KPC.

Among the most significant is the April 2025 agreement with China’s Wanhua Chemical Group to acquire a 25 percent stake in a group of petrochemical plants in Yantai, China. The deal covers several high-value industrial units, including propylene oxide, tert-butyl alcohol, acrylic acid, butyl acrylate, and other specialty chemical products PIC is also evaluating new investment opportunities, both locally and internationally, over the next two years, with the aim of expanding its chemical production portfolio.

Its current investment portfolio includes 80 percent stake in Kuwait Paraxylene Production Company (KPPC), 46 percent in Kuwait Stearin Company (KTSC), 24.5 percent in Equate Petrochemical Company (EQUATE), 42.5 percent in The Kuwait Olefins Company (TKOC), 33.3 percent in Gulf Petrochemical Industries Company (GPIC), 25 percent in SK Advance (South Korea) and 49 percent in SKPIC Global (South Korea) The company reaffirmed its commitment to environmental stewardship, emphasizing ongoing initiatives to reduce industrial pollutants and support Kuwait’s national goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. Furthermore, PIC’s strategic direction aligns with the 2040 strategy of KPC, aiming to strengthen Kuwait’s position as a leading player in the global petrochemical industry.

Meanwhile, the Central Agency for Public Tenders (CAPT) has announced the extension of the deadline for submitting bids for the Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) tender to establish a new excess water injection network in Rawdatain in North Kuwait until Aug 19, instead of Aug 5. It was also published in Kuwait Al-Youm that the tender for the construction and installation of the fourth water injection station in the South Kuwait, affiliated with KOC, was postponed until Aug 26, instead of Aug 5.

The tender for the construction and installation of separation center three and water injection station three in South Kuwait was postponed until Aug 19, instead of Aug 5. Moreover, CAPT postponed the submission of bids for the KOC tender for the construction and installation of the oil separation center one and water injection station one in East Kuwait until Aug 26, instead of Aug 5.

By Najeh Bilal
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff

A currency trader smiles near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), (left), and the foreign exchange rate between US dollar and South Korean won at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, on Aug 4. (AP)

BANGKOK, Aug 4, (AP): Global shares advanced Monday after Wall Street had its worst day since May following the release of weak US jobs data. France’s CAC 40 added 0.8% in early trading to 7,609.44, while the German DAX rose nearly 1.0% to 23,702.42. Britain’s FTSE 100 edged up 0.4% to 9,108.28. US shares were set to drift higher with Dow futures up 0.6% at 43,951.00. S&P 500 futures rose 0.6% to 6,302.75.

Markets in Asia had already reacted on Friday to US President Donald Trump’s announcement late Thursday of sweeping tariffs on imports from many US trading partners. The new import duties are set to take effect on Thursday. The signs of trouble on the US economic horizon have raised hopes that the Federal Reserve may relent and cut interest rates, analysts said.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index lost 1.3%, bouncing back from bigger losses earlier in the day to finish at 40,290.70. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong jumped 0.9% to 24,733.45, while the Shanghai Composite index climbed nearly 0.7% to 3,583.31. In South Korea, the Kospi surged 0.9% to 3,147.75. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was nearly unchanged at 8,663.70.

Investors’ worries about a weakening US economy deepened after the latest report on job growth in the U.S. showed employers added just 73,000 jobs in July. That is sharply lower than economists expected. The Labor Department also reported that revisions shaved a stunning 258,000 jobs off May and June payrolls. “The labor market, once a pillar of resilience, is now looking more like a late-cycle casualty, as soft data begin to replace soft landings in market discourse,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary.

Trump’s decision to order the immediate firing of the head of the government agency that produces the monthly jobs figures raised concern over whether there might be interference in future data. The surprisingly weak hiring numbers led investors to step up their expectations the Fed will cut interest rates in September. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.21% from 4.39% just before the hiring report was released. That’s a big move for the bond market. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed actions, plunged to 3.68% from 3.94% just prior to the report’s release.