by Calculated Risk on 6/01/2020 10:05:00 AM

The ISM manufacturing index indicated contraction in May. The PMI was at 43.1% in May, up from 41.5% in April. The employment index was at 32.1%, up from 27.5% last month, and the new orders index was at 31.8%, up from 27.1%.

From the Institute for Supply Management: May 2020 Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business®

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector contracted in May, and the overall economy returned to expansion after one month of contraction, say the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM® Report On Business®.

The report was issued today by Timothy R. Fiore, CPSM, C.P.M., Chair of the Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®) Manufacturing Business Survey Committee: “The May PMI® registered 43.1 percent, up 1.6 percentage points from the April reading of 41.5 percent. This figure indicates expansion in the overall economy after April’s contraction, which ended a period of 131 consecutive months of growth. The New Orders Index registered 31.8 percent, an increase of 4.7 percentage points from the April reading of 27.1 percent. The Production Index registered 33.2 percent, up 5.7 percentage points compared to the April reading of 27.5 percent. The Backlog of Orders Index registered 38.2 percent, an increase of 0.4 percentage point compared to the April reading of 37.8 percent. The Employment Index registered 32.1 percent, an increase of 4.6 percentage points from the April reading of 27.5 percent. The Supplier Deliveries Index registered 68 percent; though down 8 percentage points from the April figure of 76 percent, this high reading elevated the composite PMI®.
emphasis added

This was close to expectations of 43.0%, but the readings for new orders and employment were even worse than the headline.

This suggests manufacturing contracted further in May.