The ISM Mfg Index dropped sharply from 54.2 in February to 51.3 in March.
The ISM Non-Mfg Index (service sector) plunged from 57.2 in February to 53.3 in March.
The national ISM Mfg Index unexpectedly declined in February, to 52.4 from 54.1 in January.
For instance, the important ISM Mfg Index has risen each month since October, reaching 54.1 in January.
FORBES: Feeling That European Springtime Swoon Coming On Again
For convenience I list my picks again: KUB, KYO, KNM, MFG, MKTAY, NJ, NSANY, PC, SNE, and TM.
FORBES: Is the Bank of Japan Really Easing -- Or Does It Just Want to Depreciate the Yen?
MFG.com released the latest MFGWatch 2013 manufacturing forecast today based on a survey of 8, 840 sourcing professionals in North America.
The ISM Non-Mfg Index, covering the services sector, also declined in March.
The sticker bears the Underwriters Laboratory logo and the designation MFG DATE.
The Chicago PMI will be released on Tuesday, the ISM Mfg Index on Wednesday, and the ISM non-mfg Index (services sector) on Friday.
FORBES: Next Week's Economic Reports Weight Heavily In Stock Market Direction
We recently received notice that the health insurance premium for my company ( MFG.com) is being increased by over 30% for 2013.
The Chicago PMI Index, which is often a bellwether for the national ISM Mfg Index, unexpectedly fell from 56.8 in February to 52.4 in March.
First Solar is antiquated and is seeing a huge drop in demand in lieu of the poor quality of the mfg. and the less impressive solar efficiency.
Mitch Free is the Founder and Chairman of MFG.com.
FORBES: High Tech Manufacturing Knowledge Should be Protected Like Fort Knox
The national ISM Mfg Index fell again in August.
FORBES: Stock Up On Inverse ETFs, Bernanke May Not Able To Avoid Recession, Bear Market !
In the last week or so it has been that the Empire State (NY area) Mfg Index, the Philadelphia Fed Index, and the Dallas (Texas area) Fed Index, plunged dramatically in May.
FORBES: Reality Bites Into Earnings That Follow Economy Lower
Among reports of recent weeks that came in better than forecasts were consumer sentiment, retail sales, home sales, construction spending, auto sales, factory orders, the ISM Mfg Index, the ISM Non-Mfg (service sector) Index, and so on.
It was also reported this week that Factory Orders rose 1.8% in November, which no doubt contributed to the report that the ISM Mfg Index rose again in December, to 53.9, its highest level in six months.
The merry month of May was anything but, with its reports of deteriorating conditions in April that were much worse than forecasts, as measured by the ISM Mfg Index, the ISM Non-Mfg Index, Factory Activity, and Industrial Production.
FORBES: Reality Bites Into Earnings That Follow Economy Lower
This week it was reported that the ISM Non-Mfg Index, which tracks the service sector of the economy, plunged to 52.8 in April from 57.3 in March (versus the consensus estimate of economists that it would improve to 57.8).
Additionally, they are taking advantage of web-based tools like MFG.com (factory in the cloud) and the digitalization in manufacturing, which makes it easy to discover and do business with suppliers that are uniquely prepared at the right moment in time.
The Fed has apparently ignored recent jumps in the ISM Mfg Index, ISM Non-Mfg Index (service sector), retail sales, durable goods orders, and the like, which indicated even the point in the recovery may be near where the employment situation improves.
FORBES: Roll Out The Bubbles, We'll Have A Barrel Of Fun (For A While)
On the economic fundamentals, another bailout of Greece, and a one-month bump in the ISM Mfg Index are hardly an indication that the economic slowdown has ended, given the continuing dismal reports on consumer spending, consumer and business confidence, the depressed housing industry, and the jobs picture.
And on the fundamentals, another bailout of Greece, and a minor one-month bump in the ISM Mfg Index were hardly indications the global economic slowdown has ended, not given the continuing dismal reports on consumer spending, consumer and business confidence, the depressed housing industry, and the jobs picture.
In the U.S., mixed in with the still mostly positive economic reports in the headlines have been reports that Durable Goods Orders unexpectedly fell 4.0% in January after rising 3.2% in December, factory orders unexpectedly fell in January, as did construction spending, while the ISM Mfg Index unexpectedly declined in February.
FORBES: Why The Jobs Report Didn't Trigger Monster Stock Rally
And although economic reports included that construction spending fell again in May, that Consumer Confidence fell again in June (to a 7-month low), that weekly unemployment claims remained high at 428, 000 last week, there was also the report that manufacturing activity, which has been declining for several months, unexpectedly picked up some in June, with the ISM Mfg Index rising to 55.3 from 53.5 in May.
And now we have the ISM Mfg Index shocking economists again by declining to its lowest level in 20 months, falling to just 53.5 in May from 60.4 in April, and the ADP jobs report showing that only 38, 000 new private sector jobs were created in May, down from 177, 000 in April, and in sharp contrast to the consensus forecast that 180, 000 new private sector jobs were created.
FORBES: Reality Bites Into Earnings That Follow Economy Lower
应用推荐