Release · 2026-09-22 to 2026-09-22

Richmond Fed manufacturing index fell to -2 in September

The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond said Fifth District manufacturing activity edged down in September. The composite manufacturing index dropped to -2 from 4 in August. Shipments fell to -5 from 11 and new orders to -6 from 3. The employment index increased to 7 from -2. Local business conditions fell to -6 from 4. The expectations index for employment dropped to 8 from 20.

Fifth District composite manufacturing index: -2.0 2026-09 · prior 4.0 (2026-08)
Shipments index: -5.0 2026-09 · prior 11.0 (2026-08)
New orders index: -6.0 2026-09 · prior 3.0 (2026-08)
Employment index: 7.0 2026-09 · prior -2.0 (2026-08)
Local business conditions index: -6.0 2026-09 · prior 4.0 (2026-08)
Future employment index: 8.0 2026-09 · prior 20.0 (2026-08)

Richmond Fed composite manufacturing index. Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond Manufacturing Survey, August–September 2026. Share card.

Source: Manufacturing Survey, September 22, 2026 — Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

all 6 figures found at the source

found Fifth District composite manufacturing index = -2.0 — at Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
found Shipments index = -5.0 — at Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
found New orders index = -6.0 — at Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
found Employment index = 7.0 — at Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
found Local business conditions index = -6.0 — at Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
found Future employment index = 8.0 — at Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

Researched by Grok, checked against each source by an automated pass, edited by Clem Ziroli III. Published Sep 22, 2026.

This page is one print. The daily brief for September 22, 2026 is the editor's cut of what mattered that day. Figures are as the named sources printed them. The methodology says how this page is made and what is checked.