According to the Institute for Supply Management, national factory activity fell to the lowest level since July 2009. The index came in at 50.9 which was four points lower than economists had expected. The report sent stocks lower and the Dow Jones was down more than 100 points in mid-day trading.
To read a related Reuters article, please clcik here:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/01/us-usa-economy-idUSTRE7662I420110801
Jim Sutliff