Pakistan's large-scale manufacturing output rose just 0.67 percent in August from a year earlier, as strong growth in petroleum products, automobiles and garments was partly offset by sharp declines in food, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and iron and steel, official data showed Friday. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics said the Large-Scale Manufacturing Index stood at 113.19 in August, up from 112.45 a year earlier but down 4.96 percent from July.

For the first two months of the 2026-27 fiscal year, large-scale manufacturing output was up 1.85 per cent from the same period a year earlier. Petroleum products posted the strongest growth among major manufacturing groups, rising 31.85 percent in August from a year earlier.

Automobile production increased 11.66 percent, while garments rose 10.85 percent and tobacco output climbed 10.11 percent. Other transport equipment grew 26.95 percent, while wood products surged 242.71 percent from a low base.

The gains were weakened by declines in several large industrial segments. Food production, the biggest sector by weight in the data, fell 10.49 percent.

Chemical production dropped 12.93 percent, pharmaceuticals declined 8.86 percent, iron and steel products fell 11.56 percent and textile output, which carries the largest weight, decreased 2.80 percent. Beverage production fell 7.79 percent, paper and board declined 5.41 percent, chemical products dropped 20.36 percent and fertilizer output fell 9 percent.

Other manufacturing, including football production, plunged 37.97 percent. Among other sectors showing growth, rubber products increased 5.06 percent, fabricated metal products 7.07 percent, electrical equipment 2.06 percent, computers, electronics and optical products 4.91 percent and furniture 73.47 percent.

Cement output, however, declined 3.52 percent in August, despite posting 1.26 percent growth during July-August compared with the same period a year earlier. For the first two months of the fiscal year, automobiles were up 32.45 percent, garments 16.69 percent, petroleum products 15.48 percent, other transport equipment 37.04 percent and tobacco 22.35 percent.

These gains helped offset contractions in food, textiles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and iron and steel. The data show that the manufacturing recovery remains uneven.

While automobiles, petroleum products and wearing apparel provided significant support to overall output, weakness in food, textiles and several heavy industrial sectors continued to weigh on growth during the first two months of the fiscal year.