The Empire State Manufacturing Survey reported a modest rebound in business activity in October, with the General Business Conditions index rising +19.4 pts to 10.7, its third positive reading in four months.

• New Orders recovered sharply, up +23.3 pts to 3.7, indicating a pickup in demand following September’s steep drop.

• Shipments increased +31.7 pts to 14.4, reflecting a rebound in deliveries after a weak prior month.

• Employment improved modestly, with the index rising +7.4 pts to 6.2, while the Average Workweek remained negative at -4.1, suggesting slightly shorter hours worked.

• Prices Paid rose +6.3 pts to 52.4, signaling faster growth in input costs, and Prices Received climbed +5.6 pts to 27.2, pointing to stronger selling price gains.

• Delivery Times lengthened slightly (+3.9), while the Supply Availability Index stayed negative (-10.7), suggesting ongoing supply constraints.

• Inventories were largely unchanged (-1.0), consistent with stable stock levels.

• Firms grew more optimistic about future conditions, with nearly half expecting improvement ahead, though capital spending plans remained subdued.