ISM Services Index Decreased to 56.6% in October

The October ISM Services index was at 56.6%, down from 57.8% last month. The employment index decreased to 50.1%, from 51.8%. Note: Above 50 indicates expansion, below 50 contraction.

From the Institute for Supply Management: Services PMI™ at 56.6%; October 2020 Services ISM® Report On Business®

Business Activity Index at 61.2%; New Orders Index at 58.8%; Employment Index at 50.1%; Supplier Deliveries Index at 56.2%

Economic activity in the services sector grew in October for the fifth month in a row, say the nation's purchasing and supply executives in the latest Services ISM® Report On Business®.

The report was issued today by Anthony Nieves, CPSM, C.P.M., A.P.P., CFPM, Chair of the Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®) Services Business Survey Committee: "The Services PMI™ registered 56.6 percent, 1.2 percentage points lower than the September reading of 57.8 percent. This reading represents a fifth straight month of growth for the services sector, which has expanded for all but two of the last 129 months.
emphasis added

This was below the consensus forecast, and the employment index was barely above 50.