by Calculated Risk on 2/18/2016 10:01:00 AM

From the Philly Fed: February 2016 Manufacturing Business Outlook Survey

Firms responding to the Manufacturing Business Outlook Survey reported continued weakness in business conditions this month. The indicator for general activity remained slightly negative this month, edging up only marginally from its reading in January. Other indicators offered mixed signals: The shipments index remained positive, but new orders and employment indexes remained negative and declined modestly. The survey’s price indexes suggest that both input prices and selling prices fell this month. With respect to the manufacturers’ forecasts, the survey’s future indicators remained overall positive but showed continued weakening.
...
The diffusion index for current activity increased from a reading of -3.5 in January to -2.8 in February and has now been negative for six consecutive months ...

The survey’s labor market indicators suggest continued weak employment conditions. The employment index decreased 3 points, from -1.9 to -5.0.
emphasis added

This was close to the consensus forecast of a reading of -2.5 for February.

Click on graph for larger image.

Here is a graph comparing the regional Fed surveys and the ISM manufacturing index. The yellow line is an average of the NY Fed (Empire State) and Philly Fed surveys through February. The ISM and total Fed surveys are through January.

The average of the Empire State and Philly Fed surveys increased slightly in February, but was still solidly negative.  This suggests another weak reading for the ISM survey.