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Manufacturing Jobs Dip, Activity Contracts


Manufacturing job openings inched down in June, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed, and manufacturers continued to see business challenges in July, according to the ISM® Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index®.

What’s going on: Open positions in the manufacturing sector declined approximately 4.28%, to 582,000 in June from 608,000 in May. Meanwhile, economic activity in the manufacturing industry declined for the ninth month in a row in July.

  • While the Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index was 46.4 in July, up from 46.0 in June, any number under 50 indicates contraction.
  • In employment, durable goods job openings decreased to 356,000 in June from 379,000 in May. In nondurable goods, openings fell to 226,000 from 229,000 in the same period.

The details: New orders (up to 47.3 from 45.6) and production (up to 48.3 from 46.7) declined more slowly in July, according to the ISM®.

  • However, employment fell to 44.4 from 48.1, and exports declined to 46.2 from 47.3.

Hiring: Manufacturing’s net hiring—hires minus separations—in June was 6,000, the same as the pace in May.

  • Job openings in the sector remained above pre-pandemic levels.
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