Despite a contracted economy, Kenyans saw increased job opportunities in August, marking the seventh consecutive month of expansion as reported by the Stanbic Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI).

• The PMI rose to 49.4 in August from 46.8 in July, indicating hiring growth across all sectors of Kenya’s private sector.
• The rate of increase in staff costs accelerated to its fastest since October 2019, driven by rising cost of living, with manufacturing firms experiencing the strongest wage inflation.
• Business expectations for year-ahead output were at their strongest in two and a half years, with a quarter of surveyed firms expressing optimism.