The U.S. factory sector is showing solid momentum going into 2021, with orders rising for eighth straight months. Orders for manufactured goods rose 1.1% in December after a 1.3% gain in the prior month, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal were expecting a 0.7% …
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The numbers: U.S. manufacturers said business improved in December for the eight month in a row and new orders matched a pandemic high, signaling they are weathering the record coronavirus outbreak better than other major industries. The Institute for Supply Management said its manufacturing index rose to 60.7% in December from …
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The numbers: The second and final reading of the consumer sentiment index from the University of Michigan fell to 80.7 in December from an initial 81.4 earlier in the month. The index remained higher than the 76.9 reading in November. Economists polled by MarketWatch had forecast the index would slip …
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The numbers: Consumer confidence stumbled for the second straight month in December, hitting its lowest level since during the worst of the cornavirus lockdowns in May. The index of consumer confidence fell to 88.6 this month from a revised 92.9 in November, the Conference Board said Tuesday. Economists polled by …
Read More » The numbers: A pair of surveys of U.S. businesses added to mounting evidence on Wednesday that the economy is slowing in the wake of a record coronavirus outbreak. IHS Markit said its “flash” survey of executives at service-oriented companies such as restaurants, financial firms and health-care providers fell to 55.3 …
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