The American manufacturing sector contracted for the ninth month in a row during November as it faced flagging order volumes, higher-priced inputs and cost pressures related to the United States government’s tariff policies. That’s according to the Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) purchasing managers index (PMI) report, which registered 48.2 percent last month—a 0.5 percent decrease from the 48.7 percent seen in October. More from Sourcing Journal New orders fell for a third consecutive month in N ...

A PMI under 50? That’s not just an economist’s signal — that’s a real-world indicator for anyone pulling freight. The September 2025 ISM Manufacturing PMI came in at 49.1, signaling the 7th straight month of contraction in U.S. manufacturing. And while some might brush it off as a Wall Street problem, if you’re a small carrier or an owner-operator, this number hits you at the docks. So, let’s break it down plainly. What does a 49.1 really mean? What kind of freight is softening? Where can we still find st ...