U.S. factories grew last month at fastest pace since June 2011
By CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER Associated Press on Sep 4, 2013, at 2:26 AM Updated on 9/04/13 at 3:25 AM
An employee installs air coolers in the subassembly area at the Ellicott Dredges LLC manufacturing facility in Baltimore. U.S. factories expanded last month as orders rose nearly five points. ANDREW HARRER / Bloomberg file
Manufacturing
In just 12 years, natural gas plant builder Thomas Russell Co. grew from a Tulsa startup to a $750 million company.
Verallia North America's glass plant in Sapulpa is shutting down one furnace for the rest of the year because of slack demand.
WASHINGTON - U.S. factories expanded last month at the fastest pace since June 2011 on a jump in orders. The report signals that manufacturing output could strengthen in coming months.
The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing managers, said Tuesday that its manufacturing index rose to 55.7 in August from 55.4 in July. That topped the index's 12-month average of 52. A reading above 50 indicates growth.
A gauge of new orders rose nearly five points to 63.2, the highest level in more than two years. At the same time, production increased more slowly than in July, and factories added jobs at a weaker rate. Despite the drop, production reached its highest level in 2 1/2 years.
The overall improvement contrasts with other recent reports that had pointed to a slowdown in manufacturing. The ISM's survey found broad-based growth, with 15 out of 18 industries reporting expansion and only one reporting contraction. That suggests that factory production could accelerate this year.
"The data unambiguously point to a pickup in ... manufacturing output growth after a weak" second quarter, Jim O'Sullivan, an economist at High Frequency Economics, said in a note to clients.
The Federal Reserve will closely examine Tuesday's report, which comes two weeks before Fed policymakers will decide whether to slow their bond-buying program. Chairman Ben Bernanke has said the Fed will scale back its purchases this year if the economy continues to strengthen. The $85 billion in monthly bond purchases have been intended to keep interest rates low.
The jobs report for August, to be released Friday, is the most important remaining economic report the Fed will consider.
Orders from overseas also rose, a sign that improving economies in Europe and China may be boosting U.S. manufacturers. The 17 countries that use the euro grew in the April-June quarter after six quarters of recession.
Original Print Headline: U.S. factory expansion fastest in two years
Manufacturing
In just 12 years, natural gas plant builder Thomas Russell Co. grew from a Tulsa startup to a $750 million company.
Verallia North America's glass plant in Sapulpa is shutting down one furnace for the rest of the year because of slack demand.
