The Institute for Supply Management’s U.S. non-manufacturing index increased to 55.4 in October from 54.4 the prior month, a report from the Tempe, Arizona-based group showed today. Estimates of the 79 economists in the Bloomberg survey for the October reading ranged from 52 to 56.3. From July 2009, a month after the last recession ended, through September the index had averaged 53.9. The figure includes industries that range from utilities and retail to health care, housing and finance and make up almost 90 percent of the economy. Service industries in some parts of the world are on the mend. Services in the U.K. ... (full story)