New York Manufacturing Index Contracts for Fourth Month

Manufacturing activity in the New York region contracted in November for a fourth straight month, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said Thursday.

The “Empire State Index,” generally the first economic indicator in a given month, was minus 5.2 after minus 6.2 in October, the regional Fed said.

Readings of less than zero indicate contraction, while above that shows expansion.

The November reading was above economists’ forecasts of a minus 8 reading, Bloomberg reported.

Manufacturing is one of trucking’s largest and most important customers.