The headlines will exclaim ISM Manufacturing beat expectations and reached its highest level since June 2011 (and that is true) but a scratch below the surface shows what really counts. New orders rose as did Production (all good) but the Employment sub-index dropped (what with all these new orders?) and Prices Paid surged to the highest in 20 months. Interestingly New Export Orders improved - though we are unclear (given the PMIs overnight) just who they are exporting to. In other news, the housing recovery is trotting along - apart from the biggest MoM plunge in construction spending in 19 months.
ISM best in 20 months...
[4]
as Construction spending plunged...
[5]
Charts: Bloomberg