The U.S. manufacturing sector expanded in March, Manufacturing PMI® registered 47.1%, 0.8 percentage point higher than the 46.3% recorded in March. Regarding the overall economy, this figure indicates a fifth month of contraction after a 30-month period of expansion.
The Employment Index elevated into expansion territory, registering 50.2%, up 3.3 percentage points from March’s reading of 46.9%.
The New Orders Index remained in contraction territory at 45.7%, 1.4 percentage points higher than the figure of 44.3% recorded in March.
The New Export Orders Index reading of 49.8% is 2.2 percentage points higher than March’s figure of 47.6%.
The Inventories Index dropped 1.2 percentage points to 46.3%, lower than the March reading of 47.5%.
Read the ISM release.