The Manufacturing Orders Indicator (IPM) fell 1.68 points in March, to 51.64 units, which meant its worst result in 34 months, according to seasonally adjusted figures from Inegi.
Three of its five components reported decreases, led by the decline of 2.78 units, to 52.72 points, in the expected volume of production.
The expected volume of orders decreased to 51.79 points, 1.73 less than in February, and the expected delivery of supplies by suppliers was located at 48.19 points, 0.53 units less than in the previous month.
In contrast, the expected levels of employed personnel and supplies inventories rose to 51.27 and 55.53 points respectively.
Despite the setback in March and ending at its lowest level in six months, the MPI reached 32 consecutive months above the 50-point threshold.
On the other hand, the Aggregate Trend Indicator (IAT) of the manufacturing sector presented its second reduction in a row, falling 0.22 points, to 50.39 points in March.
The used plant capacity was the variable with the worst behavior in March with a decrease of 0.57 points, to 51.32, while the national demand for its products fell 0.45 points, to 49.51, and the production component fell 0.06 points, to 51.11.
The part of exports increased 0.33 points, to 49.65, and that of employed personnel advanced 0.17 points, to 50.67.
Meanwhile, the Business Confidence Indicators (ICE) increased 0.76 points, to 52.89 in March and added three months above the threshold of 50 points.
The concept of the right time to invest was the one with the greatest rise with 2.33 points, to 45.11, but this component linked 116 months below the 50-point threshold.
Present economic situation of the Country and of the company rose 0.75 and 0.36 points, to 51.21 and 54.91 points, respectively.
However, the variables of the future situation of the Country and the company fell 0.33 and 0.18 points in March, remaining at 54.85 and 58.68, in that order.
