U.S. Factory Activity Grows At Cooler Pace

According to the Institute for Supply Management as reported on Apri 3, U.S. factory activity grew at a slower pace in March. The ISM index fell to 55.2% in March from 56.7% in February. The decline was a surprise to analysts, who on average had been ...

Agence France-Presse

April 3, 2006

According to the Institute for Supply Management as reported on Apri 3, U.S. factory activity grew at a slower pace in March. The ISM index fell to 55.2% in March from 56.7% in February.

The decline was a surprise to analysts, who on average had been expecting a rise to 57.7%.

Readings above 50 indicate expansion, so the report shows a strong if cooler pace of growth in the industrial economy.

Among component indexes, new orders fell to 58.4% in March from 61.9% in February.

The employment index fell to 52.5% from 55.0%.

The price index rose to 66.5% from 62.5%.

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