GLOBAL manufacturing activity accelerated in June, and with new orders coming in faster, output is likely to pick up in the coming months, a business survey showed Tuesday.

    JP Morgan’s Global Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to a four-month high of 52.7 in June from May’s 52.1, holding above the 50 mark indicating growth for the 19th month in a row.

    “The global PMI suggests the growth of manufacturing output strengthened further into midyear,” said David Hensley, a director at JP Morgan.

    “With new order inflows strengthening and inventories of finished goods indicated to be declining, the stage is set for robust output gains in the coming months.”

    New orders came in at their fastest rate since February, while firms ran down stocks for the third month, the survey showed.

    Manufacturing activity in the United States and in Asia’s industrial powerhouses of China and Japan expanded further in June but eurozone growth faltered as main motor Germany slowed.

    The U.S. manufacturing sector gained more momentum in June, driven by the fastest growth in output and new orders in over four years, an industry report showed Tuesday.

    Financial data firm Markit said its final U.S. Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index rose to 57.3 in June, the highest since May 2010, although it was slightly lower than the preliminary read of 57.5.

    A separate report from the Institute for Supply Management showed its index of national factory activity was at 55.3, little changed from May’s 55.4 reading.

    The average ISM PMI was 53.9 for 2013, which turned out to be a very strong year, and the average of 2014 so far is 54, which indicates “that we are in a positive trend,” said Bradley J. Holcomb, chair of ISM Manufacturing Business Survey Committee. (SD-Agencies)