The U.S. manufacturing sector expanded in March, Manufacturing PMI® registered 46.3 percent, 1.4 percentage points lower than the 47.7 percent recorded in February.
The Employment Index continued in contraction territory, registering 46.9%, down 2.2 percentage points from February’s reading of 49.1%.
The New Orders Index remained in contraction territory at 44.3%, 2.7 percentage points lower than the figure of 47% recorded in February.
The New Export Orders Index reading of 47.6% is 2.3 percentage points lower than February’s figure of 49.9%.
The Inventories Index dropped into contraction at 47.5%, 2.6 percentage points lower than the February reading of 50.1%.
Read the ISM release.