America’s manufacturing sector expanded in May, according to two separate sets of U.S. factory performance gauges, which diverged in the details but both showed hiring difficulties and inflationary pressures weighing on economic activity.
One of the measures, the Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) Manufacturing PMI, rose to 56.1 percent in May from 55.4 percent in the prior month, indicating a slight acceleration in the pace of U.S. factory activity growth.
Any reading above 50 reflects expansion while a number lower than that represents a contraction.
“This figure indicates expansion in the overall economy for the 24th month in a row after a contraction in April and May 2020,” said Timothy Fiore, Chair of the ISM Manufacturing Business Survey Committee….