ISM

The PMI, the index used by the ISM to measure manufacturing activity, was 53.4 in March, which was 1 percent ahead of February’s 52.4.

The January NMI—at 57.3—is up 0.5 percent over January and is at its highest level since reaching 58.3 in January 2011.

The ISM reported that the PMI in February, its index used to measure manufacturing activity, was 52.4, which is down from January’s 54.1, which was the highest PMI reading since June 2011.

Non-manufacturing activity is off to a good start in 2012, based on the results of the Institute for Supply Management’s January NMI, its index for measuring the sector’s overall health.

Manufacturing picked up in 2012 where it left off in 2011: in growth mode. The ISM's PMI hit 54.1 in January, which was 1.0 percent better than January’s 53.1.

While November marked the two-year anniversary of consecutive growth in the non-manufacturing sector, December made sure the push for three straight growth years got moving in the right direction, according to the Institute for Supply Management (ISM).

The December edition of Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) Manufacturing Report on Business pointed to manufacturing growth finishing 2011 on a positive note.

While the economic recovery is showing some encouraging signs of late, it received another one this week in the form of the Institute of Supply Management’s Semiannual Economic Forecast.

The ISM’s index for measuring the sector’s overall health—known as the NMI—hit 52 in November, down slightly from October’s 52.9.

With its primary index—the PMI—showing signs of leveling out in recent months, the Institute for Supply Management’s Manufacturing Report on Business increased nearly two full percentage points in November to extend the growth streak for economic activity in the manufacturing sector to 28 straight months and the overall economy showed growth for the 30th consecutive month.

Like its companion report focused on manufacturing, growth remained the primary theme for the Institute for Supply Management's Non-Manufacturing Report on Business, which showed growth in non-manufacturing sector grew for the 23rd consecutive month.

The ISM’s index for measuring the sector’s overall health—known as the NMI—was 53.0 in September, down 0.3 percent from August. A reading above 50 represents growth.

Manufacturing continued its growth in September as the PMI registered 51.6%, an increase of 1 percentage point when compared to August’s reading of 50.6%.

As was the case in July, the August edition of the Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) Non-Manufacturing Report on Business outperformed its sister report focused on manufacturing.

While manufacturing may be experiencing a bit of a slowdown, the overall numbers in the August edition of the Institute for Supply Management’s Manufacturing (ISM) Report on Business still point to growth.