Final U.S. Markit PMI unchanged in March at 55.5

Final U.S. Markit PMI unchanged in March at 55.5

The final Markit PMI for the U.S. in March was unchanged at 55.5, down from 57.1 in February. Still, any reading over 50 in the purchasing managers index indicates growth. In March, the output or production index totaled 57.5, little changed from the prior month. New orders dipped to 58.1 from 59.6 and employment fell to 53.9 from 54.1 in February. The slight dropoff in the March PMI comes after the Markit index rose in February to the highest level in almost four years, helped by manufacturers catching up after winter-related softness in January