A gauge of US manufacturing activity increased at a slower pace in March amid a decline in new orders. Growth in the manufacturing sector still depends on strong domestic and global economies.
Economists also noted a slowdown in economic growth in the first quarter due to seasonal factors.
The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said its index of national manufacturing activity declined 59.3 last month from 60.8 in February.
The production sub-index fell to the score of 61 in March. A measure of new orders dropped to 61.9 from 64.2 in the previous month. A gauge of factory employment slid by 2.4 points to 57.3 in March.
Seventeen industries including fabricated metal products, computer and electronic products, machinery and chemical products reported growth in March. Meanwhile, the only industry that reported a decline was the one of clothing, leather and allied products.
