Dallas Fed manufacturing index for March

The Dallas Fed manufacturing activity index for March came in at 21.4 vs 33.5 estimate. The prior month was up at 37.2 (sorry for the wrong numbers).

  • General business activity 21.4 in March versus 37.2 in February
  • Manufacturing output index 12.7 versus 27.9
  • Production 12.7 versus 27.9
  • employment 10.8 versus 19.1
  • new orders a .3 versus 25.3
  • growth rate of orders 3.8 versus 15.3
  • shipments 9.3 versus 32.1
  • prices paid for raw materials 41.4 versus 39.8
  • prices received for finished goods 18.5 versus 22.5
  • wages and benefits 22.9 versus 32.2

Overall weaker report, and you don't like to see sharp falls like in the report, but the index was at the highest level since the end of 2005. So coming off high levels. Nevertheless, you don't want to see a trend develop.