Economy + Supply
By Staff -- Purchasing, 3/13/2008
| UP | DOWN | SAME | INDEX | |
| Fabricated metals | 33% | 18% | 49% | 58.0 |
| Steel | 32% | 23% | 45% | 54.6 |
| Transportation | 23% | 19% | 58% | 51.7 |
| Energy | 20% | 17% | 63% | 51.5 |
| Molded plastics | 20% | 20% | 60% | 50.0 |
| Tooling | 26% | 26% | 48% | 50.0 |
| Copper & brass | 21% | 23% | 56% | 49.1 |
| Semiconductors | 22% | 24% | 54% | 49.1 |
| Passive electronics | 20% | 24% | 56% | 48.3 |
| Inorganic chemicals | 20% | 24% | 56% | 48.2 |
| Plastic resins | 17% | 21% | 62% | 47.8 |
| Corrugated | 18% | 23% | 59% | 47.5 |
| Organic chemicals | 20% | 25% | 55% | 47.3 |
| Paper | 15% | 23% | 62% | 46.3 |
| Aluminum | 22% | 31% | 47% | 45.5 |
| Industrial machinery | 20% | 30% | 50% | 45.4 |
| Computers | 13% | 34% | 53% | 39.5 |
| Source: www.purchasingdata.com Index registers movement; 50 = no change, above 50 = growth, below 50 = contraction. |
||||
WHAT'S AHEAD: With the economy in flux, buyers are playing it safe. Only six of the spend categories tracked show plans for expanded buying, while the rest show contraction ahead.
View All Blogs
