New Delhi, May 21 -- India's private sector activity edged lower in May 2026, with growth in new orders, exports, employment, and business output softening slightly, even as the headline index remained comfortably in expansionary territory for the 58th consecutive month, according to the HSBC Flash India Composite Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), compiled by S&P Global.

The Flash Composite PMI - which tracks combined activity across manufacturing and services - dipped marginally to 58.1 in May from a final reading of 58.2 in April. A reading above 50 denotes expansion, and India's index has stayed above that threshold for nearly five years without interruption.

The Flash Manufacturing PMI slipped to 54.3 from 54.7 in April, while the F...