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Most current manufacturing indicators rise in April, Fed reports

Friday, April 17, 2026 — 16:23:53 (UTC)

Most Current Manufacturing Indicators Rise in April Philadelphia, April 16, 2026

Manufacturing activity in the region continued to grow overall, according to the firms responding to the April Manufacturing Business Outlook Survey. The diffusion index for current general activity rose from 18.1 in March to 26.7 in April, its fourth consecutive increase. The indicators for new orders and shipments also rose this month; however, the firms reported an overall decline in employment, on balance. Price increases were more widespread this month. The survey’s broad indicators for future activity continued to suggest expectations for growth over the next six months.

As you may already know, we recently introduced our new interactive Manufacturing Business Outlook Survey data explorer to help you keep up with the latest manufacturing trends in our region. The data explorer provides a concise visual snapshot of current and future indexes and puts data downloads, methodology, and a user guide all in one place to give you easy access. Check out the FAQs to learn more about how we collect the data, interpret changes in the diffusion indexes, select firms for the survey panel, and determine special questions.

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Source: Company press release.

Categories: Reports and research