Dallas Fed August (manufacturing) index negative for fourth month

Marketwatch ^ | 8.29.11 | Steve Goldstein

[Free Vulcan]

The Dallas Fed's manufacturing general business index remained negative for the fourth month in a row and fell from -2 in July to -11.4 to August.

Short article, more from the Dallas Fed release:

The general business activity index remained negative for the fourth month in a row and fell from –2 to –11.4. The change in the index was largely due to a notable increase in the share of firms noting worsened activity. The company outlook index stayed positive but edged down from 11 in July to 7.2 in August. Still, the great majority of respondents said their outlooks were unchanged or improved from last month.

Texas factory activity was largely unchanged in August, according to business executives responding to the Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey. The production index, a key measure of state manufacturing conditions, remained positive but fell from 10.8 to 1.1, suggesting growth stalled this month.

Most other measures of current manufacturing conditions indicated slower growth in August. The new orders index fell from 16 to 4.8 this month, suggesting order volumes continued to increase, but at a decelerated pace. The shipments index was positive and little changed, edging down from 7.8 to 6.7. The capacity utilization index dipped into negative territory in August, with one-quarter of manufacturers noting a decrease.

http://dallasfed.org/data/outlook/index.cfm

[Free Vulcan]

Even in the relative economic hotbed of Texas things are flat to slowing, and our Dear Reader more than likely happy hear that, especially coming from a state where he's not all that welcome. By anyone that can legally vote that is.

[Jack Hydrazine]

That’s just negative growth happening! And growth is still growth, right? Right!?!?!?!

[whitedog57]

http://confoundedinterest.wordpress.com

Sanders at GMU put all the news together for today on his website.

Even the good news is bad. What kind of economic recovery is this?

[Free Vulcan]

But, but, there are green shoots everywhere. Green shoots!