The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) inched up to 47.2 in August but remains in contraction territory for a fifth straight month. The index has now contracted for 21 of the past 22 months. The latest reading was worse than the forecast of 47.5.
Here is an excerpt from the latest report:
Fiore continues, “While still in contraction territory, U.S. manufacturing activity contracted slower compared to last month. Demand continues to be weak, output declined, and inputs stayed accommodative. Demand slowing was reflected by the (1) New Orders Index dropping further into contraction, (2) New Export Orders Index contracting slightly faster, (3) Backlog of Orders Index remaining in strong contraction territory, and (4) Customers’ Inventories Index at the ‘just right’ level. (For more, see the Customers’ Inventories Index summary below.) Output (measured by the Production and Employment indexes) continued in moderate contraction with production sagging further, while employment contracted slower as compared to July. Panelists’ companies reduced production levels month over month as head-count reductions continued in August. Inputs — defined as supplier deliveries, inventories, prices and imports — generally continued to accommodate future demand growth, with inventory growth attributed to a supply demand timing mismatch.
“Demand remains subdued, as companies show an unwillingness to invest in capital and inventory due to current federal monetary policy and election uncertainty. Production execution was down compared to July, putting additional pressure on profitability. Suppliers continue to have capacity, with lead times improving and shortages not as severe. Sixty-five percent of manufacturing gross domestic product (GDP) contracted in August, down from 86 percent in July. The share of manufacturing sector GDP registering a composite PMI® calculation at or below 45 percent (a good barometer of overall manufacturing weakness) was 33 percent in August, a 20-percentage point improvement compared to the 53 percent reported in July. Two of the six of the largest manufacturing industries — Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; and Computer & Electronic Products — expanded in August, compared to none in July,” says Fiore.
