In Japan, buoyant domestic demand pushed up the purchasing managers' index to a high of 54.7, according to data published on Monday. But in China, the manufacturing sector slowed to near-stagnation, putting in its worst performance in the survey's 19-month history.
The equivalent gauge for the eurozone climbed one point to a 13-month high of 52.7 in October, moving further above the 50 line between growth and contraction and strengthening the case for a hike in interest rates next month or in early 2006.
"This could provide a small additional backing to the idea that the euro zone economy is recovering and therefore might support an early hike," said Lorenzo Codogno at Bank of America, who last week changed his rates view and now sees a slightly greater than 50 percent chance of a hike as early as December.
However, others noted that domestic demand in the euro zone still remained weak. They said the ECB may be reluctant to hike rates from a historic low of 2 percent until the economy is less dependent on global demand - especially as growth is expected to slow in many countries, including the United States.
The gauge for the US manufacturing sector, to be published by the Institute for Supply Management at 1500 GMT, is forecast to fall to 57.0 from 59.4.
In China - another key market for European goods - the CLSA PMI slipped to 50.1 in October.
CLSA economist Eric Fishwick said the data gave the lie to bullish official figures.
"In reality, the conditions facing Chinese manufacturers continue to deteriorate," he said, though other economists expect growth to remain robust in 2006.
Luke Thompson, senior economist at NTC Research which compiles the European indices, said exports would likely support euro zone manufacturing growth at around current levels until the end of the year, but further out the outlook is less clear.
"We are looking for some real improvement in the employment numbers before we get too excited about the sustained momentum in the euro area," he said.
The euro zone employment index rose to its highest level since May 2001, but at 49.9 it showed that companies shed more staff than they recruited for the 53rd month in a row.
The UK employment index inched up to 47.7 from 47.6, also signalling continued job cuts.
One reason why some firms remained reluctant to take on the extra costs of hiring more staff was the continuing rise in input prices, driven by oil and other raw materials.
Input prices in both the euro zone and Britain rose at the fastest pace since spring.
Central banks in both regions are keenly watching for any signs of high oil prices filtering through in to other costs.
In Britain, output price inflation slowed compared to September, suggesting that there could be room for the Bank of England to cut rates one more time from the current 4.5 percent.
On the other hand, the improvement in manufacturing output and new export orders bolstered expectations that any UK rate cut won't come until early next year at the earliest.
By contrast in the euro zone the output prices index rose to a seven-month high of 51.3, supporting the case for an inflation-busting rate hike sooner rather than later.
In Japan, the output prices index inched up to 51.0 from 50.9. This is more evidence that domestic demand is finally picking up and deflation coming to an end, underscoring market speculation that the Bank of Japan could end its ultra-easy monetary policy as early as the first half of 2006.