Manufacturing in the U.S. probably stagnated in July after contracting for the first time in three years, economists said before a report today. The Institute for Supply Management’s factory index rose to 50.2 last month from 49.7 in June, according to the median estimate of 83 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. Fifty marks the dividing line between expansion and contraction. Construction spending probably climbed in June for a third month, other data may show. Factories may temper production as companies curb spending on concerns lawmakers will fail to act before automatic government spending cuts and higher ... (full story)