New Delhi: India’s manufacturing activity continued to expand in September, but at a slower pace as the manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) stood at 57.7, down from 59.3 in August, even though tax relief for common man has boosted business optimism for the year ahead. The survey, conducted by the adjusted HSBC India PMI, showed that new orders, output and input buying rose at the slowest rates in four months, while job creation retreated to a one-year low. The September PMI data also highlighted continued growth across India's manufacturing industry, albeit with a mild loss of momentum, the survey said, adding that growth was curbed by competitive conditions. Going ahead, the survey also noted that Indian companies continued to signal upbeat forecasts for production in the coming 12 months. “Companies were strongly confident regarding the outlook for production, with changes in GST rates boosting optimism,” the survey added.