ISLAMABAD: The Large Scale Manufacturing (LSM) sector recorded a growth of 5.75 percent during July–January 2025-26, with output accelerating sharply in January 2026 as the Quantum Index of Manufacturing (QIM) rose to 144 points, reflecting an increase of 10.54 percent on a Year-on-Year (YoY) basis and an increase of 12.08 percent on a Month on Month (MoM) basis. According to provisional data with base year 2015-16 released here on Tuesday by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS),the growth is mainly driven by an impressive performance of the automobile, food, garments, petroleum products, and cement sectors. The LSM output grew 10.54 percent on a YoY basis in January 2026, while posting a strong 12.08 percent increase on a MoM basis compared to December 2025. On a cumulative basis, the sector recorded 5.75 percent growth during July–January FY26, with the QIM averaging 121.46, up from 114.85 in the same period last year. Automobile remained the driver of the QIM growth as the automobile sector registered a remarkable increase of 67.31 percent in January and a cumulative 67.38 percent during July–January FY26. READ ALSO: The LSM sector Garments maintained robust momentum with 10.82 percent monthly growth and an 8.02 percent cumulative expansion, reflecting continued strength in export-oriented textile manufacturing. The food sector staged a strong recovery, posting 12.07 percent monthly growth and a 3.28 percent cumulative increase, reversing earlier softness in the segment. Cement production grew 10.83 percent in January, sustaining a substantial 11.49 percent cumulative increase for the seven months, underpinned by ongoing construction activity. Electrical equipment emerged as a notable outperformer with 17.02 percent monthly growth and a 9.97 percent cumulative gain. Furniture recorded a dramatic turnaround with 186.27 percent monthly growth, while other manufacturing, including footballs, surged 59.11 percent in the month. Beverages continued their steady expansion with 8.53percent monthly growth and a 5.54 percent cumulative rise, while tobacco posted 24.65 percent monthly growth and a 10.71 percent cumulative increase. Several sectors continued to face pressure during the month. Iron and steel extended its decline, falling 8.87 percent in January and contracting 5.10 percent on a cumulative basis. Machinery and equipment remained in sharp contraction, declining 19.41 percent in January and posting an 18.83 percent cumulative fall, the steepest drag among tracked segments. Pharmaceuticals recorded a 1.63 percent monthly decline, extending their cumulative contraction to 4.82 percent. Fertilizers slipped 1.09 percent in January, with cumulative output down 1.26 percent. Chemicals edged 1.35 percent lower on a cumulative basis despite a modest monthly recovery of 2.51 percent; leather products and wood products also registered marginal declines both monthly and cumulatively. The main contributors toward the overall 5.75 percent cumulative growth were automobiles, 1.61 percentage points; garments, 1.34 percentage points; petroleum products, 0.85 percentage points; food, 0.58 percentage points; non-metallic mineral products, including cement, 0.63 percentage points, textiles 0.28 percentage points, other transport equipment 0.24 percentage points, beverages 0.23 percentage points, and electrical equipment 0.25 percentage points. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026