Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in March after contracting for 16 consecutive months, say the nation's supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business.
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The report was issued today by Timothy R. Fiore, CPSM, C.P.M., Chair of the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Manufacturing Business Survey Committee:
"The Manufacturing PMI registered 50.3 percent in March, up 2.5 percentage points from the 47.8 percent recorded in February. The overall economy continued in expansion for the 47th month after one month of contraction in April 2020. (A Manufacturing PMI above 42.5 percent, over a period of time, generally indicates an expansion of the overall economy.) The New Orders Index moved back into expansion territory at 51.4 percent, 2.2 percentage points higher than the 49.2 percent recorded in February. The March reading of the Production Index (54.6 percent) is 6.2 percentage points higher than February's figure of 48.4 percent. The Prices Index registered 55.8 percent, up 3.3 percentage points compared to the reading of 52.5 percent in February. The Backlog of Orders Index registered 46.3 percent, the same reading as in February. The Employment Index registered 47.4 percent, up 1.5 percentage points from February's figure of 45.9 percent."
"The Supplier Deliveries Index figure of 49.9 percent is 0.2 percentage point lower than the 50.1 percent recorded in February. (Supplier Deliveries is the only ISM Report On Business® index that is inversed; a reading of above 50 percent indicates slower deliveries, which is typical as the economy improves and customer demand increases.) The Inventories Index increased 2.9 percentage points to 48.2 percent following a reading of 45.3 percent in February."
"The New Export Orders Index reading of 51.6 percent is the same reading as registered in February. The Imports Index continued in expansion territory, registering 53 percent, the same figure as in February. Both indexes repeated their highest readings since July 2022, when the New Export Orders Index registered 52.6 percent and the Imports Index registered 54.4 percent."
Fiore continues, "The U.S. manufacturing sector moved into expansion for the first time since September 2022. Demand was positive, output strengthened and inputs remained accommodative. Demand improvement was reflected by the (1) New Orders Index back in expansion and fewer comments regarding 'softening,' (2) New Export Orders Index expanding again, supported by panelists' stronger optimism (3) Backlog of Orders Index remaining in moderate contraction territory, the same as in February and (4) Customers' Inventories Index contracting for the fourth consecutive month, remaining at a level accommodative for future production. Output (measured by the Production and Employment indexes) surged, with a combined 7.7-percentage point upward impact on the Manufacturing PMI® calculation. Panelists' companies notably increased their production levels month over month. Head-count reductions continued in March, with sizable layoff activity reported. Inputs — defined as supplier deliveries, inventories, prices and imports — continued to accommodate future demand growth and showed signs of stiffening. The Supplier Deliveries Index dropped marginally, moving into 'faster' territory, and the Inventories Index improved but remained in slight contraction territory. The Prices Index moved further upward in moderate expansion (or 'increasing') territory as commodity driven costs remain unstable."
Source: ISM