Global manufacturing output recorded robust growth of 1 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024 on a quarter-over-quarter basis, building on strong gains of over 0.5 per cent in the previous two quarters.

However, manufacturing dynamism varied across world regions. Asia and Oceania drove global performance, achieving quarterly growth above 1 per cent, fueled by China’s dynamic manufacturing sector, which recorded its highest quarterly growth since late 2022, and the strong performance of the Republic of Korea.

UNIDO has unveiled its Country Classification Report 2025, offering a comprehensive and updated framework for grouping economies based on their stage of industrial development. This refined classification system is designed to support meaningful analysis and policy dialogue by grouping countries with similar industrial characteristics and challenges.

The UNIDO classification results in five distinct country groups: 

Welcome to the first issue of the Industrial Policy Research and Statistics Newsletter!

Global manufacturing output grew modestly by 0.4 per cent in the third quarter of 2024 on a quarter-over-quarter basis, following a stronger increase of nearly 1 per cent in the previous quarter.

During this period, manufacturing activity showed varying quarter-over-quarter growth rates across world regions. Latin America and the Caribbean led with a notable 1.7 per cent growth, which marks the first positive result since the second quarter of 2023. China’s manufacturing sector remained dynamic, attaining a 1.1 per cent increase.

Global manufacturing output showed signs of a significant acceleration during the second quarter of 2024. Indeed, global output increased by 1 per cent in quarter-over-quarter comparison, following a stalled production in the previous quarter.