According to the Institute for Supply Management’s most recent Report on Business, economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in April for the second consecutive month, while the overall economy grew for the 83rd consecutive month.

The report was issued today by Bradley J. Holcomb, CPSM, CPSD and chair of the ISM Manufacturing Business Survey Committee. According to Holcomb, the April PMI came in at 50.8%, a slight drop from the 51.8% recorded in March. Also falling were the new orders index (55.8% from 58.3%), the production index (54.2% from 55.3%), inventories of raw materials (45.5% from 47%).

The prices index jumped by 7.5 percentage points to 59% in April and the employment index also increased, albeit by a lesser degree, rising to 49.1% from 48.1%.

Manufacturing registered growth in April for the second consecutive month, as 15 of 18 industries reported an increase in new orders in April (up from 13 in March) and 15 of 18 industries reported an increase in production in April (up from 12 in March).