The Institute for Supply Management’s factory index rose to 52.7 in November from 50.8 a month earlier, the Tempe, Arizona-based group’s data showed today.
Fifty is the dividing line between growth and contraction, and economists surveyed by Bloomberg News projected the gauge would climb to 51.8. Estimates of the 82 economists ranged from 50.2 to 53.
In China and Europe, manufacturing contracted last month. A purchasing managers’ index compiled by the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing slid to 49 in November, the weakest since February 2009. Separate reports today showed slowing retail sales and an industrial slump in Australia, which relies on China as its biggest export customer.
A manufacturing gauge based on a survey of purchasing managers in the 17-nation euro region fell to 46.4 from 47.1 in October, London-based Markit Economics said today. That’s the lowest since July 2009.
To contact the reporter on this story: Bob Willis in Washington at bwillis@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Christopher Wellisz at cwellisz@bloomberg.net
