by Calculated Risk on 7/30/2018 10:38:00 AM

From the Dallas Fed: Robust Expansion in Texas Manufacturing Continues; Uncertainty Picks Up

The robust expansion in Texas factory activity continued in July, according to business executives responding to the Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey. The production index, a key measure of state manufacturing conditions, rose six points to 29.4, signaling an acceleration in output growth.

Other indexes of manufacturing activity also indicated continued solid expansion in July. The survey’s demand measures—the new orders and growth rate of orders indexes—moved down but remained well above average at 23.3 and 17.0, respectively. The shipments index climbed five points to 30.8, and the capacity utilization index edged up to 25.0.

Perceptions of broader business conditions were a bit less positive this month versus June, and uncertainty increased. The general business activity index slipped four points to 32.3. The company outlook index dropped 13 points to 20.4, which is the second-lowest reading this year but still elevated relative to the average. A new question introduced to the survey in January 2018 asks, “How has uncertainty regarding your company’s outlook changed in the current month vs. prior month?” In July, a quarter of firms said uncertainty increased, while only 8 percent said it decreased—bringing the outlook uncertainty index* to 17.0, well above its June reading and the highest level to date.

Labor market measures suggested a pickup in net hiring and longer work hours in July. The employment index pushed up five points to 28.9, a 13-year high. Thirty-six percent of firms noted net hiring, compared with 7 percent noting net layoffs. The hours worked index ticked up to 22.2.

Price and wage pressures remained highly elevated this month. While still well above average, the raw materials prices index moved down five points to 48.6, and the finished goods prices index ticked down to 22.9. Compensation costs continued to rise at a faster clip than normal, with the wages and benefits index holding fairly steady at 32.4.
emphasis added

This was the last of the regional Fed surveys for July.

Here is a graph comparing the regional Fed surveys and the ISM manufacturing index:

Click on graph for larger image.

The New York and Philly Fed surveys are averaged together (yellow, through July), and five Fed surveys are averaged (blue, through July) including New York, Philly, Richmond, Dallas and Kansas City. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) PMI (red) is through June (right axis).

Based on these regional surveys, it is possible the ISM manufacturing index will be close to 60 in July (to be released on Wednesday, August 1st). The consensus is for the ISM to be at 59.4, down from 60.2 in June.