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TEMPE, AZ -- US manufacturing economic activity expanded in May for the 34th consecutive month, and the overall economy grew for the 36th consecutive month, say the nation’s supply executives.

The PMI index of manufacturing activity was 53.5% for the month, a modest decrease of 1.3 percentage points from April, said Institute for Supply Management spokesman Bradley J. Holcomb.

New Orders continued growth for the 37th consecutive month, registering 60.1% in May, up 1.9 percentage points from April and the highest level since April 2011. Prices for raw materials fell to 47.5%, down 13.5 percentage points, indicating lower prices for the first time since December.

Of the 18 manufacturing industries covered, 13 reported growth in May, including Computer & Electronic Products and Chemical Products.

 

MANUFACTURING AT A GLANCE

MAY 2012

Index

Series
Index
May

Series
Index
Apr

Percentage
Point
Change

Direction

Rate of
Change

Trend(a)
(Months)



















PMI

53.5

54.8

-1.3

Growing

Slower

34
New Orders

60.1

58.2

+1.9

Growing

Faster

37
Production

55.6

61.0

-5.4

Growing

Slower

36
Employment

56.9

57.3

-0.4

Growing

Slower

32
Supplier Deliveries

48.7

49.2

-0.5

Faster

Faster

4
Inventories

46.0

48.5

-2.5

Contracting

Faster

2
Customers’ Inventories

43.5

45.5

-2.0

Too Low

Faster

6
Prices

47.5

61.0

-13.5

Decreasing

From Increasing

1
Backlog of Orders

47.0

49.5

-2.5

Contracting

Faster

2
Exports

53.5

59.0

-5.5

Growing

Slower

7
Imports

53.5

53.5

0.0

Growing

Same

6
OVERALL ECONOMY

 

Manufacturing Sector



Growing

Slower

36


Growing

Slower
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