PHOTO: BLOOMBERG[WASHINGTON] US factory activity shrank in September for a seventh consecutive month, reflecting a pullback in orders and adding to evidence manufacturing is lacking traction. The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) manufacturing index edged up 0.4 point to 49.1, according to data released on Wednesday (Oct 1). Economists and policymakers will be relying more on private reports such as the ISM survey for clues on the economy in the absence of official data because of the US government shutdown. The report also showed manufacturers enjoyed a respite from inflationary pressures for raw materials. The prices-paid measure dropped for a third straight month, the longest such stretch since 2022, to 61.9.