Economic activity in the US manufacturing sector grew in July, with the overall economy notching a third consecutive month of growth, according to the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business.
The July PMI registered 54.2 percent, up 1.6 percentage points from the June reading of 52.6 percent. This figure indicates expansion in the overall economy for the third month in a row after a contraction in April, which ended a period of 131 consecutive months of growth. Index breakdown:
| Index | July level | June level |
| New Orders | 61.5 | 56.4 |
| Production | 62.1 | 57.3 |
| Backlog of Orders | 51.8 | 45.3 |
| Employment | 44.3 | 42.1 |
| Supplier Deliveries | 55.8 | 56.9 |
| Inventories | 47 | 50.5 |
| Prices | 53.2 | 51.3 |
| New Export Orders | 50.4 | 47.6 |
| Imports | 53.1 | 48.8 |
Of the 18 manufacturing industries, 13 reported growth in July, in the following order: wood products; furniture and related products; textile mills; printing and related support activities; food, beverage and tobacco products; plastics and rubber products; chemical products; apparel, leather and allied products; computer and electronic products; primary metals; petroleum and coal products; miscellaneous manufacturing; and electrical equipment, appliances and components.
The three industries reporting contraction in July are: transportation equipment; machinery; and fabricated metal products.