ISM''s Employment Index registered 51.7 percent in September, which is an increase of 0.4 percentage point when compared to August''s reading of 51.3 percent. An Employment Index above 49.2 percent, over time, is generally consistent with an increase in the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data on manufacturing employment. The seven industries reporting growth in employment during September are: Petroleum & Coal Products; Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Transportation Equipment; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Machinery; and Fabricated Metal Products.

Supplier Deliveries

The delivery performance of suppliers to manufacturing organizations increased 1.9 percentage points in September as the index rose to 51.9 percent, indicating slower deliveries when compared to August. A reading above 50 percent indicates slower deliveries. The seven industries reporting slower supplier deliveries in September are: Printing & Related Support Activities; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Chemical Products; Computer & Electronic Products; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Machinery; and Fabricated Metal Products.

Inventories

Manufacturers'' inventories registered 41.6 percent in September, which is 3.8 percentage points lower than August''s reading of 45.4 percent. This is the 14th consecutive month of inventory liquidation and the lowest reading since January 2007 when the index registered 39.9. An Inventories Index greater than 42.4 percent, over time, is generally consistent with expansion in the Bureau of Economic Analysis'' (BEA) figures on overall manufacturing inventories (in chained 2000 dollars). The three industries reporting higher inventories in September are: Textile Mills; Printing & Related Support Activities; and Nonmetallic Mineral Products.

Customers'' Inventories

The ISM Customers'' Inventories Index registered 50 percent in September indicating no change from August. The index indicates that respondents believe their customers'' inventories are neither too high nor too low at this time. Six industries reported higher customers'' inventories during September: Furniture & Related Products; Fabricated Metal Products; Transportation Equipment; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Chemical Products; and Computer & Electronic Products.

Prices

In September, the ISM Prices Index registered 59 percent, indicating manufacturers are paying higher prices on average when compared to August. While 30 percent of respondents reported paying higher prices and 12 percent reported paying lower prices, 58 percent of supply executives reported paying the same prices as the preceding month. A Prices Index above 47.2 percent, over time, is generally consistent with an increase in the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Index of Manufacturers Prices. In September, eight industries reported paying higher prices: Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; Plastics & Rubber Products; Textile Mills; Printing & Related Support Activities; Furniture & Related Products; Chemical Products; Paper Products; and Transportation Equipment.

Backlog of Orders

ISM''s Backlog of Orders Index registered 51 percent in September, 0.5 percentage point higher than the 50.5 percent reported in August. Of the 84 percent of respondents who reported their backlog of orders, 24 percent reported greater backlogs, 22 percent reported smaller backlogs, and 54 percent reported no change from August. The eight industries reporting an increase in order backlogs in September are: Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Paper Products; Furniture & Related Products; Plastics & Rubber Products; Chemical Products; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; and Machinery.

New Export Orders

ISM''s New Export Orders Index registered 54.5 percent in September, a decrease of 2.5 percentage points when compared to August''s index of 57 percent. This is the 58th consecutive month of growth in export orders. The 10 industries reporting growth in new export orders in September are: Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Furniture & Related Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Transportation Equipment; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; Computer & Electronic Products; Chemical Products; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; and Machinery.New Export

Imports

Imports of materials by manufacturers grew during September as the Imports Index registered 53 percent, 0.5 percentage point higher than the 52.5 percent reported in August. This is the 69th consecutive month of growth in import orders. The eight industries reporting growth in import activity for September are: Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Transportation Equipment; Plastics & Rubber Products; Furniture & Related Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; Chemical Products; and Computer & Electronic Products.



Available at:

http://www.ism.ws/ISMReport/MfgROB.cfm