Manufacturing expanded in June
Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in June following one month of contraction, according to the Institute for Supply Management.
The PMI registered 50.9 percent, an increase of 1.9 percentage points when compared to May's reading of 49 percent. June's reading of 50.9 percent reflects the resumption of growth in the manufacturing sector for 2013, following the only month of contraction for the year in May. A reading above 50 percent indicates that the manufacturing economy is generally expanding; below 50 percent indicates that it is generally contracting.
The New Orders Index increased in June by 3.1 percentage points to 51.9 percent, and the Production Index increased by 4.8 percentage points to 53.4 percent.