IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
Inland Empire manufacturing continued to expand in May, posting solid production and employment numbers despite concerns about the economy.
The region’s purchasing managers index last month was 65, up from 63.5 in April and above the national index of 48.5, according to the Institute of Applied Research and Policy Analysis at Cal State San Bernardino.
Most important, the manufacturing index in Riverside and San Bernardino counties was above 50, the above-below number that determines whether manufacturing is expanding or contracting. Three consecutive months in either direction establishes a trend.
Production was 63.9, down from 69.6. That number has now been above 50 for five straight months. New orders were at 61.1, down from 71.7 month-over-month.
The report called that dip “noticeable,” but it noted that new orders are still growing, only at a slower pace than in April.
Production and orders are considered the index’s most import components.
Employment was at 61.1, down from 63.0 in April. Employment has also been above 50 for five consecutive months.
The Inland region’s commodity price Index for May 2025 decreased slightly, to 69.4, while the inventory index rose sharply, from 56.5 in April to 75 last month.
Thirty three percent of the purchasing mangers surveyed say they expect the local economy to improve during the next three months, while 61.1 percent said they expect it to remain the same. Only 5.6 percent said they expect it to get weaker during that time, according to the institute.
