US Manufacturing Continues to Grow

The Institute for Supply Management”s Report on Business (www.ism.ws/ISMReport/index.cfm) says the purchasing managers index (PMI), a survey of the global manufacturing economy produced by JP Morgan with research and supply management organizations, reached a 13-month high of 54.9 percent in October from 54.7 percent the previous month. Performance was particularly strong in Europe and Japan.

In the United States, the PMI registered 59.1 percent for October, a decrease of 0.3 percentage point as compared to September’s reading of 59.4 percent. A reading above 50 percent indicates that the manufacturing economy is generally expanding; below 50 percent indicates that it is generally contracting.

Fluid handling-related industries reporting growth in October are: Electronic Components & Equipment; Food; Paper; Fabricated Metals; Chemicals; Instruments; Primary Metals; Printing & Publishing; and Industrial & Commercial Equipment.

— Flow Control Staff