Economic activity in the manufacturing sector grew in April for the 23rd consecutive month, while the overall economy grew for the 42nd consecutive month, according to the latest survey of purchasing managers by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), Tempe, Ariz. ISM’s Purchasing Managers Index is 53.3 percent in April, a decrease of 1.9 percentage points when compared to 55.2 percent in March.
“In April, the manufacturing sector grew for the 23rd consecutive month based on the ISM data,” said Norbert J. Ore, chair of the Institute for Supply Management Manufacturing Business Survey Committee and group director, strategic sourcing and procurement, Georgia Pacific Corp. “This represents the longest period of growth in the last 16 years. However, the rate of growth slowed to its lowest level since July 2003. The trend is definitely toward a slower pace of growth, and that should relieve some of the pricing pressure that the sector has experienced during 2004 and year to date in 2005. Declines in inventories indicate that manufacturers are adjusting to slower growth in new orders.”