The ISM Manufacturing PMI for the United States came in at 55.5 for October 2026, according to data released on 02 November 2026 at 15:00 GMT. The reading was above the market forecast of 54.6 and higher than the previous period’s 54.5.
What the index measures
The PMI is a monthly survey of purchasing managers at manufacturing firms, which asks whether conditions such as new orders, production, employment and deliveries are better, the same or worse than a month earlier. A reading above 50 generally indicates expansion in the sector, while a reading below 50 indicates contraction. At 55.5, the index sits well above that dividing line, and the reading also rose from the previous period.
Because the figure came in above forecast, it suggested activity in the factory sector was stronger than economists had expected. The gain from the previous period was small, however, and the number is one survey among several that analysts watch when judging the state of American manufacturing.
Related: China's NBS Manufacturing PMI Falls to 49.3 in October
