Signal · Geopolitical Risk

‎S&P Global: UAE non-oil sector at 20-month high

Argaam - UAE News Trade press Published 5th October 2026 UAE

What the source reported

Source-reported

‎<img src="https://argaamplus.s3.amazonaws.com/a210be9c-478d-4749-bb21-23bd7d81b7d1.jpg" >UAE's non-oil private sector maintained its strongest growth pace in 20 months during September. <hr> The UAE's non-oil private sector maintained its strongest growth pace in 20 months during September, driven by improved demand and the fastest output expansion since last February, prior to the outbreak of war in the region, an SP Global report showed. The seasonally adjusted Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI)—a composite indicator designed to provide an accurate overview of operating conditions in the non-oil private sector economy—held steady at 55.3 points in September 2026, unchanged from August. Better demand conditions led to another marked increase in new orders, although the growth rate slowed compared with August’s seven-month high. New export orders rose for the third consecutive month, recording their fastest growth rate since November 2024, which helped to support overall new order volumes. On the pricing front, companies raised their output prices at the fastest rate since May 2011, reflecting stronger demand and higher production input costs. Purchase costs increased at the steepest rate in three months, amid rising raw material prices and shipping costs. UAE PMI results since 2025 <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" dir="ltr" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr > <td > Month </td> <td > Index (point) </td> <td > Change (point) </td> </tr> <tr > <td > January2025 </td> <td > 55.0 </td> <td > -- </td> </tr> <tr > <td > February </td> <td > 55.0 </td> <td > -- </td> </tr> <tr > <td > March </td> <td > 54.0 </td> <td > (1.0) </td> </tr> <tr > <td > April </td> <td > 54.0 </td> <td > -- </td> </tr> <tr > <td > May </td> <td > 53.3 </td> <td > (0.7) </td> </tr> <tr > <td > June </td> <td > 53.5 </td> <td > + 0.2 </td> </tr> <tr > <td > July </td> <td > 52.9 </td> <td > (0.6) </td> </tr> <tr > <td > August </td> <td > 53.3 </td> <td > + 0.4 </td> </tr> <tr > <td > September </td> <td > 54.2 </td> <td > + 0.9 </td> </tr> <tr > <td > October </td> <td > 53.8 </td> <td > (0.4) </td> </tr> <tr > <td > November </td> <td > 54.8 </td> <td > + 1.0 </td> </tr> <tr > <td > December </td> <td > 54.2 </td> <td > (0.6) </td> </tr> <tr > <td > January2026 </td> <td > 54.9 </td> <td > +1.3 </td> </tr> <tr > <td > February </td> <td > 55.0 </td> <td > +0.2 </td> </tr> <tr > <td > March </td> <td > 52.9 </td> <td > (2.1) </td> </tr> <tr > <td > April </td> <td > 52.1 </td> <td > (0.8) </td> </tr> <tr > <td > May </td> <td > 52.6 </td> <td > +0.5 </td> </tr> <tr > <td > June </td> <td > 50.8 </td> <td > (1.8) </td> </tr> <tr > <td > July </td> <td > 52.7 </td> <td > +1.9 </td> </tr> <tr > <td > August </td> <td > 55.3 </td> <td > +2.6 </td> </tr> <tr > <td > September </td> <td > 55.3 </td> <td > -- </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <div ></div> The main results of the UAE's PMI showed business activity rose markedly, prompting companies to expand both purchasing and employment. Employment growth resumed in September after declining in August, though the pace of hiring remained limited. Outstanding business returned to accumulation, reflecting strong demand and restrained growth in workforce numbers. Staff costs were broadly unchanged in September, as higher salaries at some companies were offset by others holding back on increasing their workforce. Selling prices rose in line with the increase in purchasing costs, and input inventory rose for the second consecutive month, at the fastest pace since November 2023. Corporate expectations for the coming year remained near their lowest levels recorded earlier in the year, reflecting continued uncertainty about the economic outlook.

Publication: Argaam - UAE News · Trade Publication
Published: 5th October 2026
Original report: argaam.com

ProcIntel stores what the source published in its feed — a headline, a summary and a link. It does not store or reproduce the full article.

What ProcIntel recorded

ProcIntel-derived

Category: Geopolitical Risk
Geography: UAE
Organisations: None identified
Collected: 5th October 2026 · 20:13

Initial assessment ProcIntel's automatic, provisional read of this individual Signal -- Initial Significance and Initial Confidence, computed deterministically before any Event extraction or human review.

A provisional, automatically computed reading of this individual Signal, before Event extraction or human review. Not a final rating.

Significance 2 · Moderate

Confidence 2 · Low

Initial Significance Moderate (39.0/100). Strongest contributor: Procurement Impact (27.0/30 points). Limiting factor: Likely Event Severity (3.0/30 points). Initial Confidence Low (34.0/100, data sufficiency: Partial). Strongest contributor: Source Authority (20.0/40 points). Limiting factor: Extraction Quality (3.0/15 points).

Strongest contributor: Procurement Impact
Limiting factor: Likely Event Severity

Possibly the same underlying story as UAE non-oil economy holds strong as PMI stays at 20-month high — flagged automatically, never merged automatically.

What the source reported

What ProcIntel recorded

Initial assessment ⓘMore about Initial Signal AssessmentProcIntel's automatic, provisional read of this individual Signal -- Initial Significance and Initial Confidence, computed deterministically before any Event extraction or human review.

Initial assessment ProcIntel's automatic, provisional read of this individual Signal -- Initial Significance and Initial Confidence, computed deterministically before any Event extraction or human review.