WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — U.S. manufacturers remained on a second-quarter hot streak as new orders for cars, computers, chemicals and other products climbed to the highest of 2014, according to the a survey of industry executives.

The Institute for Supply Management said its manufacturing index registered 55.3% in June, just a hair below May’s reading of 55.4%. Any number above 50% signals expansion. Read ISM report.

The resurgence among American manufacturers suggests the plunge in first-quarter U.S. growth was an aberration that’s quickly faded away. The 2.9% drop in gross domestic product was the biggest outside of a recession since 1947, but economists polled by MarketWatch predict growth will rebound to around 3% in the second quarter.

The ISM index is compiled from a survey of executives who order raw materials and other supplies for their companies. The gauge tends to rise or fall in tandem with the health of the economy.

The index has registered 50% or higher in every month except for one since the Great Recession ended in mid-2009,marking the best stretch of growth since the 1960s, noted Dan Greenhaus, chief global strategist at BTIG. The manufacturing sector does not play as big a role in the U.S. economy, however, or employ nearly as many people as it once did.

In U.S. markets on Thursday, stocks extended a rally after the positive ISM report.

The ISM’s new-orders gauge jumped 2 percentage points to 58.9%, the highest level since December. Executives in virtually every key U.S. manufacturing sector said business was “strong” or “picking up.”

“Another strong month overall,” said an executive at a computer maker.

The production index, meanwhile, fell to 60% from 61%. Yet the index has been at 60% or above in eight of the past 12 months, the fastest period of growth in three years.

The employment gauge was flat at 52.8%.

Fifteen of the 18 U.S. manufacturing industries surveyed by ISM reported growth in April. Three said business contracted.

“‘We’re on a very positive trend despite the tiny decline in the rate of growth,” said Bradley Holcomb, who’s in charge of the ISM manufacturing survey committee.”

Separately, the privately run research firm Markit said its final reading of U.S. manufacturing conditions in June totaled 57.3, compared with a preliminary reading of 57.5. That’s still the highest reading since May 2010.

Also, a global manufacturing survey rose to a four-month high and a similar index in the U.K. showed surprising strength in June. Read about increase in U.K. manufacturing index.