Economic activity in the US manufacturing sector contracted in March, and the overall economy grew for the 131st consecutive month, according to the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business, which noted “the coronavirus pandemic and shocks in global energy markets have impacted all manufacturing sectors.”
Index breakdown:
| Index | March level | February level |
| New Orders | 42.2 | 49.8 |
| Production | 47.7 | 50.3 |
| Backlog of Orders | 45.9 | 50.3 |
| Employment | 43.8 | 46.9 |
| Supplier Deliveries | 65 | 57.3 |
| Inventories | 46.9 | 46.5 |
| Prices | 37.4 | 45.9 |
| New Export Orders | 46.6 | 51.2 |
| Imports | 42.1 | 42.6 |
Of the 18 manufacturing industries, the 10 that reported growth in March — listed in order — are: printing and related support activities; food, beverage and tobacco products; apparel, leather and allied products; wood products; paper products; chemical products; computer and electronic products; primary metals; miscellaneous manufacturing; and plastics and rubber products.
The six industries reporting contraction in March, in order, are: petroleum and coal products; textile mills; transportation equipment; furniture and related products; fabricated metal products; and machinery.