The Spanish service sector posted a sharper rise in activity during August as new business increased strongly again. This contributed to higher backlogs of work and job creation, although in both cases at slower rates than in July. Meanwhile, the rate of i nput cost inflation eased and companies continued to lower their output prices. The headline seasonally adjusted Business Activity Index rose to 58.1 in August from 56.2 in the previous month, signalling the sharpest rate of activity growth since December 2 006. Activity has now risen in each of the past ten months. Anecdotal evidence suggested that the latest rise ... (full story)