Nuevo León's manufacturing sector entered July with five of nine Caintra indicators in contraction, including capacity utilization, exports and employment, while 32% of companies reported investment in machinery, equipment or construction, Telediario reported.
The survey's operating read is mixed rather than uniformly weak. Capacity utilization fell from 49.49 points in June to 48.48 in July, exports declined from 48.83 to 48.17, and the worker indicator slipped to 48.7. Production still edged into the expansion zone at 50.2 points.
32% still invested in machinery
The 32% investment share was nearly three percentage points above June and the highest recorded so far in the year, according to the Caintra survey reported by Telediario and El Horizonte. It is a useful counterweight to the softer operating indicators: companies are still spending, but utilization and external demand are not moving in the same direction.
Diesel and aluminum are the pressure points
El Horizonte reported that 25% of Nuevo León manufacturers cited higher input costs as affecting performance in July, up from 17.6% a year earlier. Using Inegi's producer-price index compiled by CEICO, the outlet reported year-over-year increases from May 2025 to May 2026 of 29.83% for diesel and 29.42% for aluminum refining and rolling.
- Survey: Caintra's July manufacturing expectations report
- Five of nine indicators were in contraction
- Capacity utilization: 49.49 points in June to 48.48 in July
- Exports: 48.83 points in June to 48.17 in July
- Investment: 32% of companies reported machinery, equipment or construction spending
- Input-cost pressure: 25% of companies in July, versus 17.6% in July 2025