Kraftigt dyk i USAs PMI – vækst bremser op

PMI for USA

A weaker improvement in overall business conditions partly reflected slower output growth in December. The latest expansion of production volumes was the least marked since the snow-related slowdown seen during January. Anecdotal evidence from survey respondents suggested that a moderation in new business gains in recent months had contributed to softer output growth at their plants. Latest data highlighted a solid rise in new business received by U.S. manufacturing companies, but the pace of expansion eased fractionally since November and was the least marked for 11 months. Some manufacturers commented that greater uncertainty about the economic outlook had resulted in softer client spending patterns. Nonetheless, export sales rebounded in the manufacturing sector, as highlighted by a moderate increase in new orders received from abroad during December. Manufacturing payroll numbers increased for the eighteenth consecutive month in December. However, the latest survey indicated that the rate of employment growth eased to its lowest since July. Reports from survey respondents suggested that slower new business growth and reduced pressures on operating capacity had weighed on staff hiring. Weaker output and new business growth contributed to the slowest increase in input buying since January. Meanwhile, stocks of purchases rose at a reduced rate in December and post-production inventories were pared back for the first time since June.