The ISM Manufacturing PMI for the US rose to 55.6 in July 2026 from 53.3 in June, beating market expectations of 54.0 and signaling the strongest expansion in factory activity since May 2022. The improvement was driven by a sharp acceleration in output that was the fastest since November 2021 (58.5 vs. 52.2) and solid growth in new orders (56.7 vs. 56.0). Employment also returned to expansion for the first time since January 2025, with the employment index rising to 52.8 from 49.7, its highest level since August 2022, pointing to strengthening labor demand across the manufacturing sector. Meanwhile, cost pressures eased, while the Supplier Deliveries Index indicated slowing performance for the eighth month in a row.