ISM® Services Index Increases to 54.9% in September

(Posted with permission). The ISM® Services index was at 54.9%, up from 51.5% last month. The employment index decreased to 48.1%, from 50.1%. Note: Above 50 indicates expansion, below 50 in contraction.

From the Institute for Supply Management: Services PMI® at 54.9% September 2024 2024 Services ISM® Report On Business®

Economic activity in the services sector expanded for the third consecutive month in September, say the nation's purchasing and supply executives in the latest Services ISM® Report On Business®. The Services PMI® registered 54.9 percent, which is the highest reading since February 2023 and indicates sector expansion for the 49th time in 52 months.

The report was issued today by Steve Miller, CPSM, CSCP, Chair of the Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®) Services Business Survey Committee: “In September, the Services PMI® registered 54.9 percent, 3.4 percentage points higher than August’s figure of 51.5 percent. The reading in September marked the seventh time the composite index has been in expansion territory this year. The Business Activity Index registered 59.9 percent in September, 6.6 percentage points higher than the 53.3 percent recorded in August, indicating a third month of expansion after a contraction in June. The New Orders Index expanded to 59.4 percent in September, 6.4 percentage points higher than August’s figure of 53 percent. The Employment Index contracted for the first time in three months; the reading of 48.1 percent is a 2.1-percentage point decrease compared to the 50.2 percent recorded in August.
emphasis added

The PMI was well above expectations.