The S&P Global Australia Services PMI Business Activity Index slipped to 52.4 in September from 55.8 in August, signaling continued growth in services activity and extending the expansion streak to 20 months, though at the weakest pace since June. Strong client demand and successful business development supported growth in both domestic and export markets, with inquiries from Europe and the Asia-Pacific driving a second consecutive monthly rise in overseas orders. Staffing levels increased in response to higher new business inflows, aided by improved candidate availability, resulting in the fastest job creation since April. Backlogs edged up slightly for the first time in five months, largely due to supply shortages, while input costs continued to rise, prompting firms to lift output charges even as inflation eased to three-month lows.