The September ISM Manufacturing PMI 49.0% (consensus 47.8%), up from 47.6% in August.
The dividing line between expansion and contraction is 50.0%, so the September reading denotes an ongoing contraction in the manufacturing sector, but at a slower pace than the prior month. September marked the 11th straight month the PMI reading has been below 50.0%.
The key takeaway from the report is the understanding that the pace of contraction in the manufacturing sector slowed in September, which is something that will be construed as an economy tracking more for a soft landing at this juncture than a hard landing.