ISLAMABAD: The Large Scale Manufacturing (LSM) sector recorded a growth of 4.82 percent in the first half (July-December) of 2025-26, compared to the same period last year, primarily driven by strong performances in the automobile, petroleum, garments, and cement sectors.
According to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the growth of LSM industries increased by 0.44 percent year-on-year in December. However, on a month-on-month basis, the sector demonstrated a robust growth of 9.26 percent.
The main contributors in the overall growth of 4.82 percent as per their weightage in Quantum Index Numbers of LSM Industries are food (0.09), tobacco (0.13), textile (0.26), garments (1.25), paper & board (0.08), petroleum products (0.98), chemicals (-0.16), pharmaceuticals (-0.33), cement (0.66), iron & steel products (-0.20), electrical equipment (0.22), machinery and equipment (-0.07), automobiles (1.57), other transport equipment (0.24), and furniture (-0.08).
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The production in July-December 2025-26 on year-on-year basis increased in automobile sector by 67.21 percent, petroleum products by 13.49 percent, cement 11.60 percent and garments 7.48 percent. Apart from this, increase was also registered in food, beverages, tobacco, textile, wearing apparel, coke and petroleum products, rubber products, non-metallic mineral products, fabricated metal, computer, electronics and optical products and electrical equipment.
Whereas decline is witnessed in leather products, wood products, paper and board, chemical products, pharmaceuticals, iron and steel products, machinery and equipment, and furniture.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026