Dubai: The UAE's purchasing managers' index (PMI), a composite indicator of the performance of the non-oil private sector, declined to 52.5 in November, down from 53.4 in October.
The index, compiled by HSBC Holdings Plc and Markit Economics signalled weaker growth.
"The private sector is still expanding but the weaker PMI suggests the economy is struggling to maintain momentum. The soft new export orders reading is a particular worry given how reliant the open UAE economy is on external demand," said Simon Williams, Chief Economist for Middle East & North Africa at HSBC.
Although overall incoming new business growth eased in November, the rate of expansion remained above the survey average.
Panellists indicated that favourable market conditions, good demand, competitive pricing and promotional activities had all supported the latest increase in new work.
New export orders also rose at a weaker pace since October, with growth hitting a ten-month low.
By company size, small firms posted the fastest increase in total new business, while large firms recorded the most marked rise in new work from abroad, the index showed.
