Missouri’s Purchasing Managers’ Index climbed again in June – the seventh consecutive monthly rise. It rose to 64.6, up one point from May, to the highest Missouri’s score has been since April of 2000. The state’s PMI has been above the critical 50 mark for five straight months, which is considered a sign of an expansionary economy. A score below 50 forecasts a sluggish economy for the next three to six months. The index covers such factors as new orders, production, supplier delivery times, backlogs, inventories, prices, employment, import orders and exports. Missouri’s strong June score was due to high readings in production, new orders, inventories, and employment. Nationally, the PMI increased to 56.2 in June, up from 55.7 in May.
