Wall Street Journal (01/02/14) Brenda Cronin
Manufacturing is building up momentum going into the new year. The Institute for Supply Management’s factory index reading for December was 57.0, an easing from November’s 57.3. Readings above 50 signal expansion.
Manufacturing has expanded for the past seven months, according to ISM surveys, after slowing last spring. Readings for the first half of 2013 averaged 51.5, just over the expansion threshold. In the second half, that pace picked up to 56.3.