INLAND EMPIRE – (INT) – One measure of the region’s economy opened the second-half of 2016 on a negative note.

The Purchasing Manager’s Index posted a significant drop in July, the most since last December.

The weakness was reflected in new orders, production and inventories. The employment index was unchanged from June.

The Institute of Applied Research at Cal State-San Bernardino found purchasing manager’s pessimistic about the third quarter with one-third of those surveyed saying the local economy will get weaker while 57 percent think it will remain the same.

Story Date: August 5, 2016