(Reuters) - The U.S. manufacturing sector contracted in August for the first time since 2016 amid worries about a weakening global economy and rising trade tensions between China and the United States, an industry report released on Tuesday showed.
The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said its index of national factory activity decreased to 49.1, the lowest level since January 2016.
This compared with a figure of 51.2 in July. Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast a reading of 51.1 for August.