Initial markers for a manufacturing slowdown now hit

Initial markers for a manufacturing slowdown now hit

I have a new article that hopefully will get posted by Seeking Alpha later today.  In the meantime …

Two weeks ago I wrote an article establishing a manufacturing baseline for my forecast of an economic slowdown by about the middle of next year. I concluded that by saying:

the first thing I am looking for is decelerating growth which will show up in a reading below 15 in the average of  Regional Fed reports, and below 60 in ISM new orders.

The ISM new orders index did fall below 60 to a new nearly 2 year low (but still positive!) at the beginning of this month.

This could of course all be noise, but I’ve made a forecast, I’ve laid down some markers, and the data is – at least on an initial basis – hitting those markers.

*(okay, technically not “below” 15, but close enough).