Not only is the economy slowing but it is a reminder that inflation risks diminish as the economy slows. It emphasizes that the Fed would be quite well justified for easing policy as early as next week, a move to a neutral bias with a rate cut being the next logical step in January.
We see some early signs of improvement in manufacturing, but the contraction continues. Today's report should simply remind investors the economy is not out of danger yet.
This suggests the economy is due for a slowdown, much like the one we had in 1995,