Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in June for the fifth consecutive month, according to the latest Report on Business issued by the Institute for Supply Management. "Following a weak first quarter,

the manufacturing sector rebounded in a strong fashion during the second quarter," said Norbert Ore, ISM chairman. "In June, manufacturing expanded at its fastest pace since April 2006. This performance appears sustainable in the third quarter due to the current strength in new orders and production."
The PMI (formerly known as the Purchasing Managers' Index) registered 56 percent - a one-point increase from May. A reading above 50 percent indicates that the manufacturing economy is generally expanding; below 50 percent indicates that it's generally contracting. A PMI in excess of 41.9 percent, over a period of time, generally indicates overall economic expansion.
ISM's New Orders Index rose to 60.3 percent in June, up 0.7 point from May. Its Production Index registered 62.9 percent, 4.6 points higher than May. June is the fifth consecutive month of growth in manufacturing production. The full report can be accessed at www.ism.ws.