U.S. manufacturing powered through supply chain constraints in August to maintain a 15-month streak of expansion. New order and production levels underlined sustained demand while factories continued to struggle to find components, materials and workers. Tech companies led growth in August despite semiconductor and other supply shortages. The Institute for Supply Management’s PMI increased 0.4…
Expansion of U.S. manufacturing growth that began trending upward last summer is expected to continue through 2021, along with growing capital spending and rising capacity utilization, according to the Institute for Supply Management. ISM’s semiannual economic forecast predicts U.S. manufacturers will record a healthy net increase in revenues totaling 6.9 percent this year, reversing a…
U.S. manufacturing activity cooled a bit in November as a resurgence in Covid-19 cases pressured factory employment and production levels. The Institute for Supply Management’s PMI declined by 1.8 percent — to 57.5 — from October’s level of 59.3. Although workforce limitations are being felt across the supply chain, the PMI remains above 50, indicating…
U.S. factory activity in August expanded at its fastest rate since 2018, driven by a surge in demand and shrinking levels of customer inventory. The Institute for Supply Management’s PMI rose 1.8 percent to 56 percent in August, compared with 54.2 percent in July. This is the third month of manufacturing expansion since April’s contraction,…
U.S. manufacturers are surprisingly upbeat about their prospects in 2020, anticipating growth in revenue, profitability, imports and exports. The outlook isn’t so positive for employment and capital expenditures, which will remain flat or decline next year, according to the Institute for Supply Management’s semiannual forecast. Manufacturers expect revenue will grow 4.8 percent next year –…
U.S. factory activity declined for the fourth straight month in July as weakening demand and ongoing trade anxiety weighed on manufacturers. The nation’s leading factory index, the PMI, fell to its lowest point since 2016, dropping by 0.5 percent to a level of 51.2. “This is the fourth straight month of PMI decline without any…
Foreign direct investment (FDI) is often viewed through the same lens as on-shoring or re-shoring. From a nation’s perspective, these activities retain or add jobs. FDI is becoming more important – and more global – to businesses, according to The 2019 A.T. Kearney Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Confidence Index. Almost four-fifths of respondents expect to increase…
The nation’s leading factory index in April dropped to its lowest level in two years as trade concerns and softening demand increased headwinds on U.S. manufacturers. Whether it’s a one-month event or the beginning of a trend remains unclear. The Institute for Supply Management’s leading index, the PMI, dropped by 2.5 percent in April to…
A gauge of U.S. factory activity topped estimates in March, rebounding from a two-year low on strength in employment, new orders and manufacturing production. The Institute for Supply Management’s PMI reached 55.3 percent in March, a 1.1 percent increase from the prior month. Any number above 50 indicates manufacturing expansion. March made up for ground…
U.S. purchasing and supply executives are entering 2019 with a bit less enthusiasm than 2018, although optimism remains strong for the next calendar year. Sixty-four percent of U.S. manufacturers polled by the Institute for Supply Management expect their revenue will grow by 5.7 percent in 2019, compared with the 5.1 percent increase predicted for 2018.…