Manufacturing Expands in December

Washington, DC, Jan. 2, 2013 --  U.S. manufacturing expanded in December, according to the Institute for Supply Management index.

The index rose to 50.7% from 49.5% in November. Economists had expected the index to climbe to 50.5%.

The ISM's new-orders gauge was flat at 50.3% and the production index fell 1.1 points to 52.6%. Employment, however, rose 4.3 points to 52.7%, the highest employment reading since September.