ISM Non-manufacturing Index based on surveys of non-manufacturing firms’ within 60 industry sectors. It helps investors to get better insights into current market conditions. When this index is increasing, the stock markets are generally going up due to potentially increased corporate profits. The index is a composite of four indicators, including seasonally adjusted business activity, employment, supplier deliveries and new orders received. A rule of thumb in terms of interpreting the data is- a reading above 50 percent means the non-manufacturing sector of the economy is expanding and below 50 percent means that it is contracting.
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