The monthly index is based on the number of foreign exchange transfers undertaken by the firm to emerging market regions for property purchases.

The monthly index is compiled from a survey of more than 300 purchasing managers at a wide range of industrial companies.

Its monthly index rose unexpectedly, to 56 points in October from 54.2 a month earlier.

Also, the Conference Board reports its monthly index of leading economic indicators on Thursday.

The Conference Board, a private business research institute, had initially estimated the April level on its monthly index at 91.7 percent.

They had monthly indices in a filler book, and July was the most recent.

The association said its monthly index of economic activity rose to 51.1 percent in June, from 50.7 percent in May.

One of those is the monthly index of jobs advertised in newspapers, published since 1951 by the Conference Board.

For the current year, the latest monthly index value is used.

Elsewhere in the monthly index, airline fares were up in July, mainly because of rising fuel costs.