October readings: expansion continues
The three headline readings indicate continued expansion in the surveyed private sector. A lower composite index means slower growth, not contraction while the reading remains above 50.
The October results have been cross-checked against published reporting and market-data listings. The original S&P Global release could not be retrieved during this review; the sources below distinguish the release link from the reports used to verify the numbers.
September provides historical context
September manufacturing was finalized at 55.9 and services at 58.8, versus their earlier flash readings of 57.0 and 58.7. The 58.4 composite figure is the prior-month comparison reported with October’s release. Do not treat September’s flash readings as October actuals.
Sources and verification
Readings and context
01
Manufacturing PMI · 56.0
This is the headline manufacturing index, not the manufacturing-output sub-index.
02
Services activity · 57.9
Services remain in expansion. The reading is a preliminary estimate that may change in the final release.
03
Composite output · 57.6
The composite combines manufacturing output and services activity. It is not a simple average of the two headline PMIs.
Earnings questions
Have October results been released?
Yes. The flash readings were published October 23, 2026 at 9:45 AM ET. Manufacturing was 56.0, services 57.9 and composite output 57.6.
Is this the ISM survey?
No. S&P Global and ISM produce separate surveys with their own release dates.
Can these figures be revised?
Yes. These are flash estimates. Later final releases incorporate more responses.
Did the release beat expectations?
No numerical surprise comparison is presented here. Published forecast surveys and prior-value references differ, so actuals are kept separate from consensus estimates.