June 2013 Manufacturing ISM Report On Business - PMI at 50.9%

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in June following one month of contraction, and the overall economy grew for the 49th consecutive month, say the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business®.

The report was issued today by Bradley J. Holcomb, CPSM, CPSD, chair of the Institute for Supply Management™ Manufacturing Business Survey Committee. “The PMI™ registered 50.9 percent, an increase of 1.9 percentage points from May’s reading of 49 percent, indicating expansion in the manufacturing sector for the fifth time in the first six months of 2013.

The New Orders Index increased in June by 3.1 percentage points to 51.9 percent, and the Production Index increased by 4.8 percentage points to 53.4 percent. The Employment Index registered 48.7 percent, a decrease of 1.4 percentage points compared to May’s reading of 50.1 percent. Manufacturing employment contracted for the first time since September 2009, when the index registered 47.8 percent.

The Prices Index registered 52.5 percent, increasing 3 percentage points from May, indicating that overall raw materials prices increased from last month. Comments from the panel generally indicate slow growth and improving business conditions.”

Of the 18 manufacturing industries, 12 are reporting growth in June in the following order: Furniture & Related Products; Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Paper Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Petroleum & Coal Products; Wood Products; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Primary Metals; Fabricated Metal Products; Plastics & Rubber Products; Machinery; and Nonmetallic Mineral Products. The four industries reporting contraction in June are: Textile Mills; Transportation Equipment; Chemical Products; and Computer & Electronic Products.

WHAT RESPONDENTS ARE SAYING ...

• “Business remains good to improving.” (Miscellaneous Manufacturing)
• “Industry volumes picking up with improved housing starts.” (Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components)
• “Indications are that customers have acceptable inventory levels, and as a result, are backing down on new orders and reassessing market conditions.” (Wood Products)
• “Last couple of weeks a little slower.” (Furniture & Related Products)
• “Seeing signs of life through summer retail [sales] promotions — still an overall soft market.” (Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products)
• “Business is steady. Qualified CNC machinists are hard to find.” (Fabricated Metal Products)
• “Weather conditions are causing uncertainty in agricultural markets.” (Machinery)
• “Continued slow improvements.” (Transportation Equipment)
• “June sales appear to have rebounded from what was a lackluster May.” (Paper Products)
• “Slow growth continues to choke the recovery. We are not out of the woods yet by any stretch of the imagination.” (Chemical Products)

Full Report available at Manufacturing ISM Report On Business