The US manufacturing sector contracted for the seventh consecutive month in September, although the pace of decline eased slightly as production and demand showed marginal improvement.The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) manufacturing index rose to 49.1 in September from 48.7 in August. The figure remained below the 50-point mark that separates expansion from contraction, AFP reported.“In September, US manufacturing activity contracted at a slightly slower rate, with production growth the biggest factor in the 0.4-percentage point gain of the Manufacturing PMI,” ISM survey chair Susan Spence said in a statement.However, the increase in production was offset by declines in new orders and inventories, leaving the overall improvement negligible, Spence added.Survey respondents expressed a cautious and gloomy outlook. One noted that their business remains “severely depressed” due to US President Donald Trump’s “extreme” tariffs. Firms dependent on imports for raw materials were particularly affected.“Tariffs continue to drive additional spend,” said a respondent from a petroleum and coal products company. Another from the steel sector added, “Steel tariffs are killing us.”The survey highlights ongoing challenges for the US manufacturing sector as trade tensions and tariffs continue to weigh on business sentiment and operational costs.