Economy

Empire State Index at Highest Level Since 2009
Written by Sandy Williams
September 15, 2014
Manufacturing activity in New York in September was at its highest level since late 2009. The general business conditions index rose 13 points to 27.5 according to the survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
The new orders index rose three points to 16.9 while the shipments index advanced two points to 27.1—both exhibiting strong growth for the month.
There were fewer unfilled orders dropped by three points to 10.9. Delivery times were relatively unchanged at -5.4. Inventories declined for a third consecutive month, registering -7.6, an increase of seven points. (Note: a reading above zero indicates expansion and a negative reading indicates contraction.)
The rate of increase in selling prices accelerated in September with the prices received index jumping nine points to 17.4. The prices paid index fell three points to 23.9, indicating slower pace of input price increases.
Employment indicators showed a slight increase in employment and in hours worked.
New York manufacturers remained optimistic about future general business conditions despite falling indexes for future new orders and future shipments. The future general business index held steady at 46.7 while future new orders slipped five points to 45.6 and future shipments fell seven points to 47.5. “Though both of these indexes were somewhat below their August levels, they remained high by historical standards,” according to the report.
Below is an interactive graphic of the Empire State Manufacturing Index History and a three month moving average (3MMA), but it can only be seen when you are logged into the website and reading the newsletter online. If you need any assistance logging in or navigating the website, contact us at info@SteelMarketUpdate.com or 800-432-3475.
{amchart id=”140″ Empire State Manufacturing Index and 3MMA}

Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Economy

Architecture firm billings remain down in January
Architecture firms continued to report a sharp reduction in billings in January, according to the latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI) released by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Deltek.

New York state manufacturing rebounds in February
Business activity in New York state’s manufacturing sector recovered nicely in February after a sharp decline the previous month, according to the latest Empire State Manufacturing Survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The general business conditions index rose 18 points to 5.7. This is a diffusion index, where a positive reading signifies […]

Dodge Momentum Index jumps to record high in January
The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) rose to a record high in January, according to the latest data released by Dodge Construction Network.

CRU: China hits back with retaliatory tariffs on US
Targets include coal, liquified natural gas, crude oil, and other commodities

ISM: Manufacturing expands in January for first time in years
Following more than two years of contraction, US manufacturing activity rebounded in January according to the Institute for Supply Management.