ISLAMABAD: The Large Scale Manufacturing (LSM) sector has recorded a negative growth of 8.97 percent on a month-on-month (MoM) basis as Quantum Index Numbers of Large Scale Manufacturing Industries (LSM) in February plunged to 131.50 points from 144.46 in January 2026, revealed the official LSM-related data.
The data released here on Thursday by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), however, said the LSM registered a growth of 5.89 percent during July–February 2025-26, on a year-on-year (YoY) basis.
The LSM output accelerated by 6.45 percent in February 2026 against the same period of 2025,as the Quantum Index of Manufacturing (QIM) rose to 131.50 points against 123.53 points recorded in February 2025.
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The provisional quantum indices of LSMI for February 2026 with base year 2015-16, have been developed on the basis of the latest data supplied by the source agencies.
The PBS further reported that Quantum Index Numbers of Large Scale Manufacturing Industries (QIM) for July-February (2025-26) were recorded at 122.77 points as compared to 115.94 points recorded in 2024-2025.
During the July-February period, the automobile sector led the momentum with 61.66 percent, the sugar industry witnessed a growth of 13.62 percent, cotton yarn 2.23 percent, cotton cloth 0.2 percent, garments 7.16percent, petroleum products 11.98 percent, cement 11.11 percent, while the fertilizer sector registered a negative growth of 0.15 percent and the Iron and Steel sector 5.70 percent.
On a MoM basis in February, the automobile industry posted a growth of 28.74 percent, the sugar industry recorded a growth of 29.34 percent, cotton yarn 1.40 percent, cotton cloth 0.14 percent, garments 0.85 percent, petroleum products 14.03 percent, fertilizer 9.60 percent, cement 8.27 percent, while the iron and steel sector posted a negative growth of 9.94 percent.
The main contributors towards the overall growth of 5.89 percent included the food industry,0.98 percent, the tobacco industry,0.13 percent, the textile industry,0.27 percent, the garments sector,1.18 percent, petroleum products, 0.85 percent, cement, 0.61 percent, Electrical Equipment, 0.25 percent, automobiles 1.50 percent, other transport equipment 0.23 percent, and furniture 0.20 percent.
While a decline in the production of chemicals,0.09 percent, pharmaceuticals, 0.30 percent, Iron and Steel Products, 0.24 percent, and machinery and equipment,0.06 percent was also recorded.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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