Business activity in the US continued to increase solidly at the end of the first quarter of the year, although growth ticked down from that seen in the previous survey period. The softer overall expansion reflected a weaker rise in services activity, while manufacturing production increased at the fastest pace in almost two years. A similar picture was seen with regards to demand, with new orders rising at a slightly softer pace in March. The rate of job creation edged up to the strongest in the yearto-date, however, amid the most optimistic outlook for business activity since May 2022. Meanwhile, inflationary ... (full story)