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    New York manufacturing activity reaches highest level since late 2021

    Written by Laura Miller


    Manufacturing activity in New York state expanded sharply in October, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s latest Empire State Manufacturing Survey. New orders, shipments, and unfilled orders rose, while delivery times lengthened and supply availability deteriorated further.

    The survey’s headline general business conditions index rose 18 points from September to 25.5 in October, the highest reading since December 2021.

    Laura Miller

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    SMU Survey: Mill negotiation rates rise on sheet, fall for plate

    Sheet buyers found mills slightly more negotiable on price this week, while plate buyers thought mills were less flexible on spot price tags, according to our latest survey data. Every two weeks, SMU surveys service center and manufacturer buyers to see whether mills will negotiate on new spot sheet and plate orders. In this week’s survey, 14% of respondents said mills were willing to talk price to secure an order, up three percentage points from two weeks earlier (Figure 1). This is the highest reading since July 8, when the rate stood at 18%.