The S&P Global Flash Australia Composite PMI rose to 52.6 in October, up from 52.4 in September, still signaling continued expansion for a thirteenth but with a clear sector split as services accelerated while manufacturing contracted. Services activity strengthened with the Services Business Activity Index at 53.1 versus 52.4, whereas the Manufacturing PMI fell to 49.7 from 51.4, goods new orders declined at the fastest pace so far this year and manufacturing export orders weakened while services exports helped stabilise overall new export business. Business confidence slid to an 11-month low, employment continued to increase for a tenth consecutive month driven by service-sector hiring which helped firms clear backlogs for a sixth month, input cost inflation eased to near a one-year low even as manufacturing input prices rose at the quickest rate since April, and selling price inflation fell to its softest pace in around five years.