October ISM US Manufacturing Index Indicates Faster Expansion

10:13 AM EST, 11/02/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The Institute for Supply Management's US manufacturing index rose to 55.5 in October from 54.5 in September, compared with expectations for no change in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:50 am ET. There were gains in the readings for production and new orders, but declines in employment, prices, and order backlogs. The monthly national manufacturing reading from the Institute for Supply Management is reported as a headline index, with readings above 50 indicating expansion and those below 50 indicating contraction. Component indexes measure new orders, production, employment, and prices. An increase in the index further above 50 is considered a sign of a strong US manufacturing sector, generally a positive for manufacturing industry stocks. However, if that strength comes with rising input prices due to shortages, that could be a negative for stocks as well as bonds.