Manufacturing Sector Contracts for First Time Since November 2012

Tempe, AZ, December 1, 2015—The November PMI registered 48.6%, a decrease of 1.5 percentage points from the October reading of 50.1%.

The New Orders Index registered 48.9%, a decrease of 4 percentage points from the reading of 52.9% in October.

The Production Index registered 49.2%, 3.7 percentage points below the October reading of 52.9%.

The Employment Index registered 51.3%, 3.7 percentage points above the October reading of 47.6%.

The Prices Index registered 35.5%, a decrease of 3.5 percentage points from the October reading of 39%, indicating lower raw materials prices for the 13th consecutive month.

The New Export Orders Index registered 47.5%, unchanged from October, and the Imports Index registered 49%, up 2 percentage points from the October reading of 47%. Ten out of 18 manufacturing industries reported contraction in November, with lower new orders, production and raw materials inventories accounting for the overall softness in November.

Of the 18 manufacturing industries, five are reporting growth in November in the following order: Printing & Related Support Activities; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; and Transportation Equipment.

The ten industries reporting contraction in November—listed in order—are Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Plastics & Rubber Products; Machinery; Primary Metals; Petroleum & Coal Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Computer & Electronic Products; Furniture & Related Products; Fabricated Metal Products; and Chemical Products.