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The U.S. economy’s service sector showed a downturn in activity last month, the Institute for Supply Management said Wednesday.

ISM’s monthly services index slipped to a 46.4 reading from 47 in June, ISM said in its monthly report.

Figures of morn 50 indicate expansion, while below that shows contraction. The reading fell short of economists’ forecasts of a 48 reading, Bloomberg reported.

The index measures non-manufacturing components of the economy, and the services sector, which includes transportation, retail sales and financial services, accounts for nearly two-thirds of the U.S. gross domestic product.