2007-12-03 US Economic Releases

ISM was the big number – not a lot of new US numbers today.

Unch; but employment component down 4.2pts to below 50 and anecdotes not very comforting

and prices paid up, see below.

What Respondents are Saying..

  • “Continued concerns regarding high oil prices, weak dollar and weak housing sector.” (Chemical Products)
  • “Erratic market causing more difficulty in forecasting customer demand.” (Computer & Electronic Products)
  • “Heavy truck market has not started recovering yet.” (Fabricated Metal Products)
  • “Business is off by almost 50 percent over last year in the building products industry.” (Nonmetallic Mineral Products)
  • “More inquiries from international customers than domestic.” (Machinery)

The building products industry has been down for quite a while and exports are picking up the slack.

ISM Manufacturing (Nov)

Survey 50.8
Actual 50.8
Prior 50.9
Revised n/a

ISM Prices Paid (Nov)

Survey 65.5
Actual 67.5
Prior 63.0
Revised n/a

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