Economic activity in the manufacturing sector failed to grow in March, say the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business.
The manufacturing sector failed to grow in March as the PMI fell below 50 percent for the second consecutive month. This completes the weakest quarterly performance for the U.S. economy since the second quarter 2003.
Manufacturers’ order backlogs continue to erode as the New Orders Index failed to grow for the fourth consecutive month. Additionally, manufacturers continue to experience heavy cost pressures, as the prices they pay are still rising even with slower overall demand. Some manufacturers are still benefiting from strong export demand and continue to see growth in export orders.
For the …
