BENGALURU, Oct 1 Reuters Growth in India39;s manufacturing industry cooled to an eightmonth low in September as solid demand and output eased slightly, according to a business survey that also showed weaker price increases despite rising input cost inflation.

Factory production growth has been weakening since June and is likely to have further affected the expansion rate in Asia39;s thirdlargest economy last quarter, after the rise in gross domestic product GDP softened to 6.7 in AprilJune.

The HSBC final India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers39; Index, compiled by SP Global, fell to 56.5 last month from 57.5 in August the weakest since January and slightly below a preliminary estimate of 56.7.

However, the reading has been above the 50mark, which separates growth from contraction, since July 2021.

Momentum in India39;s manufacturing sector softened in September from the very strong growth in the summer months, noted Pranjul Bhandari, chief India economist at HSBC.

New orders a key gauge of demand grew at the weakest pace since December, though were still robust, while output was at an eightmonth low.

International demand took a bigger hit and export growth eased to a level not seen in a yearandahalf. Only 6 of firms surveyed reported an increase in overseas orders.

That meant business sentiment soured slightly and the future output subindex, indicating optimism among firms about the coming year, fell to its lowest since April 2023 and employment generation…