[USNBandit]

``Manufacturers were adding to payrolls with the workweek at a lower level than before,'' says Joe Carson, director of global economic research at Alliance Capital Management. ``It makes no sense,'' especially in light of the strength in factory shipments in March, which were up 3.8 percent.

Maybe the manufacturers are gearing up for anticipated growth in demand and don't want to be left flatfooted when the orders start rolling in.

[Willie Green]

Maybe the manufacturers are gearing up for anticipated growth in demand and don't want to be left flatfooted when the orders start rolling in.

No. Employment is a lagging indicator of sales and occurs only after employers have utilized overtime options to satisfy existing demand.

Given that there has been no structural change in the factors that fuel a domestic economic environment that is hostile to manufacturing, I suspect this is just a temporary blip due to the decreased industrial capacity created by previous outsourcing. With no domestic regulatory reform on the horizon, I expect this blip will be followed by another downturn in future months.