RBS Scotland private-sector activity index rises to 48.9 in August, NatWest tracker shows

• NatWest flagged Scotland’s private-sector conditions moving closer to stabilisation in August, based on the Royal Bank of Scotland Growth Tracker.
• The Royal Bank of Scotland Business Activity Index rose to 48.9 from 47.3, indicating a modest contraction in combined manufacturing and services output.
• Subdued market conditions weighed on activity, with weaker demand reflected in fewer new orders.
• Employment rose for a third straight month, with job creation among the strongest levels in the past two years.
• Cost pressures eased, supporting expectations that price increases could moderate in coming months.

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