Manufacturing contracted in December
Economic activity in the manufacturing sector contracted in December for the second consecutive month.
The latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business showed the December PMI registered 48.2 percent, a decrease of 0.4 percentage point from the November reading of 48.6 percent.
"As was the case in November, 10 out of 18 manufacturing industries reported contraction in December. Contraction in new orders, production, employment and raw materials inventories accounted for the overall softness in December," said Bradley J. Holcomb,chair of the Institute for Supply Management Manufacturing Business Survey Committee.
The New Orders Index registered 49.2 percent, an increase of 0.3 percentage point from the reading of 48.9 percent in November. The Production Index registered 49.8 percent, 0.6 percentage point higher than the November reading of 49.2 percent.
INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY MAGAZINE
The March/April issue of Industrial Supply magazine features an in-depth cover story about Joyce Lansdale and Vallen. Plus, we're featuring articles by contributing writers Dirk Beveridge, Frank Hurtte, and David Kahle, as well as interviews with numerous product and distribution industry experts.
