This morning we got the latest Empire State Manufacturing Survey. The diffusion index for General Business Conditions at 6.90 shows a slippage from last month's 7.78, which signals expansion at a modest pace.
The Investing.com forecast was for a reading of 8.00.
The Empire State Manufacturing Index rates the relative level of general business conditions in New York state. A level above 0.0 indicates improving conditions, below indicates worsening conditions. The reading is compiled from a survey of about 200 manufacturers in New York state.
Here is the opening paragraph from the report.
| The March 2015 Empire State Manufacturing Survey indicates that business activity continued to expand at a modest pace for New York manufacturers. The headline general business conditions index, at 6.9, remained close to last month's level. The new orders index fell four points to -2.4, pointing to a small decline in orders, and the shipments index declined six points to 7.9. Labor market indicators pointed to a solid increase in employment levels and a lengthening in the average workweek. Pricing pressures remained subdued, with the prices paid index inching down two points to 12.4, and the prices received index at 8.3. As in February, indexes for the six-month outlook conveyed less optimism than in many of the preceding months, and the capital spending and technology spending indexes declined. |
Here is a chart illustrating both the General Business Conditions and Future General Business Conditions (the outlook six months ahead):
Click this link to access a PDF set of charts of the individual components over the past 12 months.
Since this survey only goes back to July of 2001, we only have one complete business cycle with which to evaluate its usefulness as an indicator for the broader economy. Following the Great Recession, the index has slipped into contraction multiple times, as the general trend slowed. It had remained in a relatively narrow range over the past year. The latest reading is a welcome bounce from last month's mild contraction.
Meanwhile, here's another look at the latest ISM Manufacturing Business Activity Index.
I'll keep a close eye on some of the regional manufacturing indicators in the months ahead.