Purchasing Managers' Index Expanded to 59.7% in December

Tempe, AZ, January 3, 2018-The December Purchasing Managers’ Index registered 59.7%, an increase of 1.5 percentage points from the November reading of 58.2%, according to the latest Manufacturing ISM Report on Business.

The New Orders Index registered 69.4%, an increase of 5.4 percentage points from the November reading of 64%. The Production Index registered 65.8%, a 1.9 percentage point increase compared to the November reading of 63.9%. The Employment Index registered 57%, a decrease of 2.7 percentage points from the November reading of 59.7%.

The Supplier Deliveries Index registered 57.9%, a 1.4 percentage point increase from the November reading of 56.5%.

The Inventories Index registered 48.5%, an increase of 1.5 percentage points from the November reading of 47%.

The Prices Index registered 69% in December, a 3.5 percentage point increase from the November reading of 65.5%, indicating higher raw materials prices for the 22nd consecutive month.

Of the 18 manufacturing industries, 16 reported growth in December in the following order: machinery; computer & electronic products; paper products; apparel, leather & allied products; printing & related support activities; primary metals; nonmetallic mineral products; petroleum & coal products; plastics & rubber products; miscellaneous manufacturing; food, beverage & tobacco products; furniture & related products; transportation equipment; chemical products; fabricated metal products; and electrical equipment, appliances & components. Two industries reported contraction during the period: wood products and textile mills.