U.S. manufacturing activity accelerates

[FreakinDJ]

U.S. manufacturing activity accelerates

By Neil Irwin
Washington Post Staff Writer

The growth in manufacturing accelerated in the final month of 2009, according to data released Monday, a sign that recovery of the long-beleaguered sector remains on track.

The strong reading contributed to a bullish start to 2010 on Wall Street, as the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index was up 1.6 percent Monday. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 156 points, or 1.5 percent, and most European and Asian markets rose by similar amounts. Besides the new economic data, investors reacted favorably to speeches by two top Federal Reserve officials on Sunday that they interpreted to mean that the central bank will keep interest rates low well into the future.

The Institute for Supply Management said that its index of manufacturing activity was 55.9 in December, up from 53.6 in November. Numbers above 50 indicate that the sector is expanding, as has been the case for five straight months.

Manufacturers are cranking up production to rebuild business inventories that firms let shrink during the depths of the recession, and the report included a particularly strong read on new orders, which bodes well for the future.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/04/AR2010010401175.html?hpid=moreheadlines

[BeatleBoot]

1. Hope this means we've bottomed out.

Because after talking to family and friends this holiday season, its definitely the worst since the Great Depression.

[rrneck]

2. Yeah, well

if they don't get busy hiring there won't be anybody to buy the shit.

[valerief]

3. Couldn't find what was being manufactured. More weapons, perhaps? nt

[FreakinDJ]

4. It even showed a picture of what was being manufactured

In this photo made Monday, Dec. 14, 2009, Kim Robinson puts labels on Playaway self-contained, battery-powered audio player books at the Findaway World headquarters in Solon, Ohio. Manufacturing activity grew in December at the fastest pace in more than three years, a sign that the pace of the economic recovery is picking up, a private trade group said Monday, Jan. 4, 2010. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta) (Amy Sancetta - AP)

Part of the manufacturing rebound since the summer has come from the auto industry returning to more normal functioning.

[valerief]

5. That was only one item. I was wondering about manufactured item trends.

I don't think audiobooks are saving the economy.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

6. Mind I am a debbie downer, but I will admit the place my DH works at gave out bonus's at the end of

2009. They have been busy, Thank the Lord for that. tool and die type place.

Still a Debbie downer thou.