US Manufacturing Activity Slumps for 9th Straight Month

Eleven of the 15 manufacturing industries reported a contraction in November, led by apparel and wood. The rest of the industries posted growth.

An employee of Independent Can Company works on the manufacturing line in Belcamp, Md., on June 25, 2025. Ryan Collerd/AFP via Getty Images

Slowing factory orders and higher prices resulted in U.S. manufacturing activity contracting for the ninth consecutive month in November.

The Institute for Supply Management stated on Dec. 1 that the manufacturing purchasing managers’ index—a monthly survey of the sector’s prevailing economic conditions—fell to 48.2 in November from 48.7 the previous month.