In the words of PMPA’s economics advisor, Dr. Ken Mayland, “The factory sector wants to grow. Orders were better (57.8, up 4.5 points), production was better (57.6, up 4.0 points), and the order backlog was better (55.5, up 7.5 points). The U.S. economy may be the best performing of the major economies of the world.”
The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) reported that its summary Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) increased 1.1 points, for a February reading of 54.2. According to the ISM, a reading above 50 would typically be associated with an expansion of the manufacturing sector. Furthermore, based on the ISM’s estimates, if the current reading of 54.2 were sustained, it would tend to be consistent with 3.7% real GDP growth (annualized).
Our inferences:
- Manufacturing remains a growing sector of the U.S. and world economies
- The ISM employment index was weakest of any of the ISM indicators tracked, at 52.6%, down 1.4% from 54.0%.
- With Affordable Health Care Act clearly on the minds of employers, adding employees has to be the least preferred outcome until we can see costs more clearly.
- The Prices sub-index rose 5 points to 61.5. Can price increases and inflation be all that far away?
One respondent in the Miscellaneous Manufacturing sector is quoted by ISM, “Starting to pick up after a slower than normal year-end.”
That is certainly in agreement with PMPA’s Business Trends Report for January 2013 which showed a record rise of 41% over December 2012 sales levels, which were quite low.