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Manufacturing activity increased further in the Tenth District in November, with the month-over-month composite index rising 2 points to 8 from October. Meanwhile, expectations for future activity remained positive but declined 5 points to 9. The month-over-month rise in activity was due to increases in both durable and nondurable manufacturing, with production rising in November. On the other hand, the new orders index turned negative. Shipments continued to rise and at a faster pace than the prior month, while new orders for exports decreased, but at a slightly slower pace than the prior month. The Tenth Federal Reserve District encompasses the western third of Missouri; all of Kansas, Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Wyoming; and the northern half of New Mexico.

The production index rose from 15 to 18, while the new orders index declined from 1 to -2, turning negative for the first time since June. The new orders for exports index remained negative but inched up from -4 to -3 over the month. The employment index jumped in November from 1 to 11, while the average employee workweek index improved from -3 to 1. The backlog of orders weakened from 1 to -4. Both the pace of growth for prices received and prices paid fell month-over-month, with raw material prices decreasing from 41 to 36, and prices received declining 6 points to 13. Over the year, prices received and paid also decreased, moving down to 50 and 64, respectively.

In November, survey respondents were asked special questions about changes in employment and wages. Approximately 35% of firms expect to increase employment, 50% anticipate no change and 15% predict employment to decline. When asked about wages, 12% reported they plan to increase wages and salaries by more than in the past few years, 34% aim to increase by similar amounts in recent years and 29% intend to increase by less than in the past.