Inland manufacturing enjoys solid February

Inland Empire manufacturing posted its second consecutive solid month in February, the result of more orders, better production and higher employment.

The region’s purchasing managers index during the second month of 2025 was 60, up from 56.5 in January and well above the abysmal 42.5 posted at the end of 2024, according to Institute of Applied Research and Policy Analysis at Cal State San Bernardino.

Should March’s index end up 50 or above, manufacturing in Riverside and San Bernardino counties will be growing.

Nationwide, the purchasing manager index last month was 50.3 a slight decline from the previous month.

Production and new orders – the indexes two main components – both performed well in February. Production rose to 65.6, up from 52.9 in January, while new orders increased to 65.6, that sector’s second consecutive growth month.

The region’s employment index increased to 59.4 after being at 50.0 in January and December.

Twenty percent of the purchasing managers interviewed last month said they expect the Inland economy to get stronger during the next three months, 20 percent said they expect it to get weaker and 60 percent said they believe it will remain where it is now, according to the statement.