LMI August 2026 registers 66.6

The Logistics Managers’ Index said on September 1 that its August reading came in at 66.6, down 2.2 points from July’s 68.9. The index remained well above the 50 mark that separates expansion from contraction, and above the 59.3 reading recorded in August 2025. The monthly survey of supply chain professionals showed slower overall growth than in June and July, but continued pressure in freight, warehousing and inventory costs. ### Why does 66.6 still count as expansion? The LMI is a diffusion index, and a reading above 50 signals expansion while a reading below 50 signals contraction. August’s 66.6 therefore points to continued growth in logistics activity even after a second straight monthly slowdown from June’s 71.1 and July’s 68.9. (mhwmag.com) Trading Economics said the August result was the slowest growth in six months. The LMI’s historical average is 61.7, according to the August report summary carried by Material Handling Wholesaler, which means the latest reading still sits above its long-run norm. ### Which numbers inside the report mattered most? (mhwmag.com) Transportation prices registered 90.0 in August, up from 86.9 in July. FreightWaves said readings of 90 or higher have now appeared in four of the past five months, underscoring how quickly pricing has been rising even as the headline index cooled. (tradingeconomics.com) Inventory costs came in at 78.6 and warehouse prices at 75.0. Material Handling Wholesaler said inventory costs were the second-fastest rate of expansion in 12 months, while warehouse prices eased slightly from July’s 75.5 but remained elevated. Inventory levels slowed to 52.8 from 55.0 in July, with Material Handling Wholesaler reporting that upstream respondents showed mild contraction at 49.0. (tradingeconomics.com) That softer inventory buildup was identified as the main reason the top-line index decelerated. ### What does the transportation-capacity reading show? (mhwmag.com) Transportation capacity posted 40.0 in August, indicating contraction for a ninth straight month. FreightWaves reported that the August figure was 11.6 points less severe than July’s contraction rate, making it the mildest contraction in six months even though available capacity continued to tighten. (mhwmag.com) The mix of shrinking capacity and high transport prices has been a recurring feature of recent reports. Logistics Plus, summarizing the August release, said the report pointed to “persistent transportation constraints and elevated costs” across the system. ### How high were total logistics costs? (freightwaves.com) Aggregate logistics costs averaged 241.9 in August, far above the 150 breakeven level referenced in market commentary tied to the release. The same commentary said the increase reflected supply-side pressures including diesel at $5.65 and tariffs. That explanation was cited by social posts summarizing the report, and it matches the broader pattern of rising transport, warehousing and inventory-cost readings in the August data. (logisticsplus.com) Trading Economics listed the LMI future index at 69.6 for next month, down from 70.5 previously but still indicating expected expansion. That suggests respondents see growth continuing into September even after August’s moderation. ### When is the next checkpoint for this data? MTS Insights lists the next Logistics Managers’ Index release for October 6, 2026, at 6:00 a.m. (logisticsplus.com) U.S. Eastern time. The LMI home page also shows monthly reports are published on a regular schedule, with the August 2026 report released on September 1. (mtsinsights.com) (tradingeconomics.com)