The global composite index for March rose to its highest since December 2024. At 52.1, it is 0.6 points more than February (51.5). This is the twenty-sixth month in a row that the global composite has topped 50, signalling business expansion.

The global service index rose in March. At 52.7, it is 1.2 points more than February's down revised 51.5. This can be attributed to faster growth in new orders (52.4). Employment also saw growth (50.9).

Among the best performing nations were India, Ireland, and Spain which experienced the fastest growth. The US also experienced expansion, hitting a 3-month high. Growth slowed in the Eurozone area, the UK and Australia, while Canada's downturn deepened once again. Composite output fell for the first time since October 2024 in Japan, while China and Brazil saw accelerated growth. Russia hit a 6-month low as output contracted for the first time in six months. Input cost inflation reaches an 18-month high. Conversely, output charges eased to a 3-month low.

JP Morgan Global Services PMI gives an overview of the global services sector. It is based on monthly surveys of over 5,500 executives from 15 of the world’s strongest economies, including the U.S., Japan, Germany, France and China which together account for nearly 80 percent of global services sector’s gross value added (GWA). It reflects changes in global output, employment, new business, backlogs and prices. The Global Services PMI is seasonally adjusted at the national level to control for varying seasonal patterns in each country and is produced by J.P. Morgan and Markit in association with ISM and the International Federation of Purchasing and supply Management (IFPSM).

Investors need to keep their fingers on the pulse of the economy because it dictates how various types of investments will perform. The J.P. Morgan Global Services PMI provides advance insight into the global services sector, which gives investors a better understanding of business conditions and valuable information about the economic backdrop of global markets. The stock market likes to see healthy economic growth because that translates to higher corporate profits. The bond market prefers less rapid growth and is extremely sensitive to whether the economy is growing too quickly and causing potential inflationary pressures. The PMI data are also used by many Central Banks to help make interest rate decisions.

The JP Morgan Global Services PMI data give a detailed look at the manufacturing sector, how busy it is and where things are headed. Since the services sector accounts for the lion’s share of GDP of many advanced economies, this report has a big influence on the markets. In addition, its sub-indexes provide a picture of global output, employment, new business, backlogs and prices.