ISM
The Institute of Supply Management is a U.S. organisation, formerly known as the National Association of Purchasing Management (NAPM). It publishes two monthly purchasing managers' indices (PMI) based on surveys of purchasing managers in U.S. manufacturing industry and in the non-manufacturing sector. If the indices are above 50 it indicates that the manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors are expanding, if below it indicates they are contracting. Economic analysts incorporate movements in the indices in their estimates of future growth in U.S. gross domestic product. The two indices are made up of sub-indices that show changes in a number of areas including employment, new orders and prices. Financial markets pay close attention to the data.
See also: http://www.ism.ws/