South By North Strategies, Ltd.

From the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond’s latest survey of manufacturing activity in the South Atlantic (District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia):

Manufacturing activity in the central Atlantic region pulled back in September after expanding during the previous seven months, according to the Richmond Fed’s latest survey. The index of overall activity was pushed lower as shipments and employment edged into negative territory. Other indicators also suggested softer activity. District contacts reported that the volume of new orders flattened, order backlogs turned negative, and delivery times held steady. Furthermore, manufacturers reported growth in capacity utilization flat lined, while inventories grew at a slightly quicker pace.
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Despite the decline in activity, manufacturers were more optimistic about their future prospects in September. Survey contacts anticipated that their shipments, new orders, backlog of orders, capacity utilization, and the average workweek would grow more rapidly in the months ahead.