The ISM Manufacturing Index registered 57.5% in November, a decrease of 1.8 percentage points from the October reading of 59.3%. This indicates expansion in the overall economy for the seventh month in a row.
Sixteen of the 18 manufacturing industries reported growth: Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Textile Mills; Wood Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Fabricated Metal Products; Plastics & Rubber Products; Primary Metals; Chemical Products; Machinery; Computer & Electronic Products; Paper Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; Transportation Equipment; Furniture & Related Products; and Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products. The two industries reporting contraction in November are: Printing & Related Support Activities; and Petroleum & Coal Products.
The Employment Index registered 48.4% in November; 4.8 percentage points lower than the October reading of 53.2%. Following one month of expansion in October, the Employment Index contracted in November.
The New Orders Index registered 65.1% in November, a decrease of 2.8 percentage points from the 67.9% reported in October. This is the sixth month of growth for the index.
The New Export Orders Index registered 57.8% in November, an increase of 2.1 percentage points from the previous month.
The Inventories Index registered 51.2% in November, a decrease of 0.7 percentage points from the October reading of 51.9%. Inventories grew for a second consecutive month after three months of contraction.
Read the ISM release.
