Manufacturers indicated a strong start to the second quarter of 2014, with the latest survey highlighting expanding levels of production, new work and employment. At 55.4 in April, the Markit Flash U.S. Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index™ (PMI™) was down fractionally from 55.5 in March but still well above the neutral 50.0 value. Sharper rates of output and new business growth boosted theManufacturing PMI during April, while the main negative influence on the headline index was a rise in the suppliers’ delivery times component. April data pointed to a steep and accelerated expansion of manufacturing output ... (full story)