The ISM Customers’ Inventories Index registered 55.5 percent in January, 1.5 percentage points lower than the 57 percent reported in December. The index indicates that respondents believe their customers’ inventories are too high at this time.
Eight industries reported higher customers’ inventories during January: Primary Metals; Machinery; Plastics & Rubber Products; Furniture & Related Products; Fabricated Metal Products; Miscellaneous Manufacturing; Electrical Equipment, Appliances & Components; and Chemical Products. The industries that reported lower customers’ inventories during January are: Paper Products; Apparel, Leather & Allied Products; Printing & Related Support Activities; Petroleum & Coal Products; Transportation Equipment; Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products; and Nonmetallic Mineral Products.
| Customers’ Inventories |
%
|
%Too
|
%About
|
%Too
|
Net | Index | ||||||||||||
| Jan 2009 | 80 | 31 | 49 | 20 | +11 | 55.5 | ||||||||||||
| Dec 2008 | 73 | 30 | 54 | 16 | +14 | 57.0 | ||||||||||||
| Nov 2008 | 70 | 31 | 48 | 21 | +10 | 55.0 | ||||||||||||
| Oct 2008 | 77 | 28 | 54 | 18 | +10 | 55.0 |
