US manufacturing battered by 'perfect storm'

摘要

The U.S. manufacturing economy contracted in November for the first time in two and one-half years due to a "perfect storm" of sluggish demand, excess inventory and a robust dollar.The Institute for Supply Management's (ISM's) purchasing managers' index landed at 48.6 last month, according to survey responses compiled by ISM. The index fell below the 50-point threshold-indicating the manufacturing economy is contracting-for the first time since May 2013 to the lowest level since June 2009.