U.S. manufacturing near two-year high; road ahead difficult

The survey on Monday from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) was the last piece of major economic data before Tuesday's bitterly contested presidential election.Government money for businesses and workers hit by the pandemic, which boosted economic growth in the third quarter, has dried up."Manufacturing rebounded strongly with fewer restrictions on economic activity and stimulus efforts, but the path forward will be more difficult as the economy continues to cope with the pandemic," said