US manufacturing expands for second consecutive month in February

The ISM Manufacturing PMI declined 0.2 points to 52.4 in February, maintaining expansion territory for a second consecutive month. New orders fell 1.3 points to 55.8, marking the second-highest reading since February 2022. The employment index increased 0.7 points to 48.8. The data suggests steady momentum in US manufacturing activity, though some metrics show modest declines.