Title Description
Source Markit (latest release)
Measures Level of a diffusion index based on surveyed purchasing managers in the manufacturing industry;
Usual Effect Actual > Forecast = Good for currency;
Frequency Released monthly, around 3 weeks into the current month;
Next Release Aug 23, 2012
SLBFX Notes Data is given to Thomson Reuters subscribers 2 minutes before the public release time listed on the calendar - early market reaction is usually a result of trades made by these subscribers. Above 50.0 indicates industry expansion, below indicates contraction. There are 2 versions of this report released about a week apart – Flash and Final. The Flash release, which the source first reported in Jun 2007, is the earliest and thus tends to have the most impact;
Why Traders Care It's a leading indicator of economic health - businesses react quickly to market conditions, and their purchasing managers hold perhaps the most current and relevant insight into the company's view of the economy;
Derived Via Survey of about 3000 purchasing managers which asks respondents to rate the relative level of business conditions including employment, production, new orders, prices, supplier deliveries, and inventories;
Acro Expand Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI);