Adjusted for seasonal influences, the Markit Flash U.S. Services PMI™ Business Activity Index posted 58.5 in September, down from 59.5 in August but still well above the neutral 50.0 threshold. The index–which is based on approximately 85% of usual monthly replies–pointed to a robust expansion of overall business activity, albeit the least marked since May. On average over the third quarter of 2014, the headline index indicates the fastest service sector output expansion in the survey’s five-year history (59.6). A further strong increase in business activity reflected steep and accelerate d growth of incoming new ... (full story)