ISM’s Employment Index registered 29.9 percent in December, which is a decrease of 4.3 percentage points when compared to the 34.2 percent reported in November. This is the lowest reading for the Employment Index since November 1982 when the index registered 28.2 percent. An Employment Index above 49.5 percent, over time, is generally consistent with an increase in the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data on manufacturing employment.
There were no industries reporting growth in employment during December. The industries that reported decreases in employment during December are: Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Printing & Related Support Activities; Wood Products; Fabricated Metal Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; Furniture & Related Products; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; Primary Metals; Plastics & Rubber Products; Paper Products; Textile Mills; Transportation Equipment; Machinery; Computer & Electronic Products; Chemical Products; and Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products.
| Employment | %Higher |
%Same |
%Lower | Net | Index | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Dec 2008 | 7 | 43 | 50 | -43 | 29.9 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Nov 2008 | 8 | 51 | 41 | -33 | 34.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Oct 2008 | 7 | 53 | 40 | -33 | 34.6 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Sep 2008 | 8 | 65 | 27 | -19 | 41.8 |
