Kazakhstan’s GDP growth accelerates to 4.5%

Kazakhstan’s GDP grew 4.5% in the first 10 months of 2026, slightly faster than in January-September. The strongest growth was recorded in the pharmaceutical industry, metal products manufacturing and machine building, the Ministry of National Economy reported.

Non-commodity sectors primarily supported the economy, growing by 5.6%. The manufacturing industry recorded the most notable acceleration.

«At the same time, growth in the manufacturing sector accelerated from 8.6% over the first nine months to 9.3% over the first 10 months of this year. The highest growth rates in the manufacturing sector were recorded in machine building (22.2%), pharmaceuticals (50.9%), fabricated metal products manufacturing (30.4%) and the chemical industry (21.9%),» the ministry said.

Positive growth was also recorded in plastics, food products and construction materials manufacturing.

Outside the industrial sector, construction recorded the highest growth, at 13.1%. Transport and warehousing followed at 7.5%, trade at 6.2%, agriculture at 5.2% and communications at 4.9%.

Meanwhile, in October, Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin identified three factors holding back economic growth: declining oil production, a strengthening tenge and a slowdown in consumer lending.

The situation in the manufacturing industry is also mixed. Despite an increase in output, businesses continue to report weak demand and a shortage of orders.

Kursiv.media previously reported that the Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 49.4 in October but remained below the 50-point threshold separating expansion from contraction.