U.S. manufacturing contracts again but may be on the verge of a rebound

BY H. Will Racke The U.S. manufacturing sector contracted again in February — but showed signs of future renewed strength due to improving production and new orders. The Institute for Supply Management’s latest report showed that its purchasing manager’s index (PMI), a composite indicator of manufacturing activity, rose to 49.5 from 48.2 in January. That […]

Consumers grow more confident, despite financial-market swings

A customer examines carefully prices at a CVS Pharmacy store in Chicago on Monday, Jan. 25, 2016.

By Lucia Maffei Consumer confidence in the U.S. improved moderately in January, a business group reported Tuesday, as Americans shook off a falling stock market and showed cautious optimism in business conditions. The non-profit New York-based Conference Board said that its monthly Consumer Confidence Index rose to 98.1 from 96.3 in December. That was above […]