US factory activity contracted in March for the first time this year and prices accelerated sharply for a second month as the drumbeat of higher tariffs reverberated through the economy.

The Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing index declined 1.3 points last month to 49, according to data released Tuesday. Readings below 50 indicate contraction and the figure was slightly weaker than the median production in a Bloomberg survey of economists.

The group's price measure increased another 7 points to 69.4, still the highest since June 2022. Over the past two months, the gauge of prices paid for materials has increased 14.5 points, the most over a comparable period in four years.

The ISM index of factory orders slumped 3.4 points to 45.2, the weakest since May 2023. Along with a bigger contraction in order backlogs, the drop in bookings caused production to shrink for the first time this year. Factory employment contracted at the fastest pace since September.

The survey indicates sentiment among manufacturers has been shaken by the Trump administration's uneven rollout of tariffs. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump is expected to announce reciprocal duties on imports as he looks to correct trade imbalances, spark investment in the US and spur domestic output of critical goods and materials.

Some companies are pausing investment plans due to the uncertainty surrounding the details of the implementation of additional tariffs. Meanwhile, a rush by firms to import ahead of the hikes boosted the ISM index of factory inventories to 53.4, the highest since October 2022, helping underpin the overall gauge.

The scramble to secure goods and materials from outside the country also helped drive materials prices higher. With consumer demand cooling so far this year, producers may find it difficult to pass on higher costs.

Meanwhile, the imports gauge declined 2.5 points to 50.1, indicating producer demand for foreign goods has leveled off.

Source : Bloomberg