Reviewed file photo — Howard R. Hollem, FSA/OWI / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain (US government work). Fort Worth aircraft workers, October 1942; Commons color-corrected scan, no further edits. Historical manufacturing context, not a surveyed factory in 2026.
US factory activity strengthens in October while input costs remain high
ISM’s November 2 release shows its manufacturing index rising to 55.5.
The Institute for Supply Management’s October manufacturing index rose to 55.5 from September’s 54.5, its November 2 release showed. Reuters and Axios independently covered the expansion. ISM’s input-prices index eased to 75.2 from 77.9, still above the 50 threshold for rising prices. These survey indexes are not percentage growth rates. Photo: aircraft workers in Texas, 1942.
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