After all the dreary news about layoffs, bankruptcies, and plant shutdowns, I saw a NY Times article the other day showing U.S. manufacturing growth after 18 months of decline.

In an index in which a number above 50 indicates growth and below 50 indicates contraction, the Institute for Supply Management in its survey of factories and industry had a manufacturing index of 52.9 in August, up from 48.9 in July.

Indeed, this is great news and is yet another one of those nuggets pointing to recovery and an upturn in the economy.