The ISM Customers’ Inventories Index registered 57 percent in December, 2 percentage points higher than the 55 percent reported in November. The index indicates that respondents believe their customers’ inventories are too high at this time.
Nine industries reported higher customers’ inventories during December: Machinery; Textile Mills; Wood Products; Primary Metals; Furniture & Related Products; Printing & Related Support Activities; Fabricated Metal Products; Chemical Products; and Food, Beverage & Tobacco Products. The industries that reported lower customers’ inventories during December are: Nonmetallic Mineral Products; Plastics & Rubber Products; Paper Products; and Transportation Equipment.
| Customers’ Inventories |
%
|
%Too
|
%About
|
%Too
|
Net | Index | ||||||||||||
| 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 | ||||||||||||
| Sep 2008 | 77 | 23 | 61 | 16 | +7 | 53.5 |
