Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Survey: US Services Sector Expands at Faster Pace in August
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
September 5, 2019

Share

WASHINGTON — U.S. services expanded at a stronger pace in August, driven by an uptick in business activity and new orders.
The Institute for Supply Management, an association of purchasing managers, said Thursday that its non-manufacturing index rose to 56.4 from 53.7 in July after two months of cooler growth. Readings above 50 signal growth, and the US services sector has been expanding for 115 months.
Services make up the bulk of US economic activity, so the results are a reassuring signal of continued economic strength.
While services companies surveyed express their concern over tariffs and geopolitical uncertainty, they appear so far to have avoided the challenges faced by the manufacturing sector. The ISM manufacturing index released Tuesday reported the sector shrinking for the first time in three years.

U.S. Businesses Added a Healthy 195,000 Jobs in August

Paul Ashworth, chief economist at Capital Economics said the report was a reminder that “the US economy is hanging in there, even though the manufacturing sector specifically is in recession.”

“Employment decelerated modestly and was its lowest level since March ’17, countering today’s stronger ADP report.” — an analysis distributed by Contingent Macro Research
The index’s measures of business activity and new orders drove the rebound, climbing by 8.4 and 6.2 percentage points. Hiring activity fell by 3.1 points. This prompted some economists to compare the measure with a private survey released by payroll processor ADP, which reported Thursday that U.S. businesses added a healthy 195,000 jobs in August.
“Employment decelerated modestly and was its lowest level since March ’17, countering today’s stronger ADP report,” an analysis distributed by Contingent Macro Research said.
Slower hiring growth could also simply reflect seasonal changes, according to Anthony Nieves, the Chair of the ISM Non-Manufacturing Business Survey Committee.
“Overall, you see the employment typically pick up in the fall,” Nieves said.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Work Requirements Could Transform Medicaid and Food Aid Under US Budget Bill

DON'T MISS

Stop Making Cents: US Mint Moves Forward With Plans to Kill the Penny

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Detectives Revive 2017 Drive-By Murder Case

DON'T MISS

Will the Pacific Coast Highway Reopen for Memorial Day Weekend?

DON'T MISS

The Artist Tree Set to Open Second Fresno Cannabis Location

DON'T MISS

Fresno Unified Is Fixing Accessibility to HR Building After Months of Complaints

DON'T MISS

Fresno Affordable Housing Takes a Huge Hit. State Kills City’s ‘Pro-Housing’ Status

DON'T MISS

Trump Admin Bars Harvard From Enrolling Foreign Students

DON'T MISS

Clovis North Seniors Barred from Walking at Graduation After Caught with Alcohol

DON'T MISS

House Republicans Pass Trump’s Big Bill of Tax Breaks and Program Cuts After All-Night Session

UP NEXT

Kim Kardashian Dons a Graduation Cap and Marches Closer to Becoming a Lawyer

UP NEXT

Multiple People on Private Plane That Crashed Into San Diego Neighborhood Are Dead

UP NEXT

2 Israeli Embassy Staffers Killed in Shooting Near DC Jewish Museum

UP NEXT

Pacers Tie It on Haliburton’s Jumper at Buzzer, Then Beat Knicks in OT of East Finals Game 1

UP NEXT

What Travelers Should Know About This Messy Memorial Day Weekend

UP NEXT

What Does It Mean for Biden’s Prostate Cancer to Be ‘Aggressive’? A Urologic Surgeon Explains

UP NEXT

California Cop Was Partying at Festival While Collecting $600,000 for Fake Injury

UP NEXT

This Is What’s Inside Trump’s ‘Beautiful’ Spending Package

UP NEXT

US Army to Change Transgender Soldiers’ Records to Birth Sex

UP NEXT

George Wendt, Who Played a Beloved Barfly on ‘Cheers,’ Dies at 76

Will the Pacific Coast Highway Reopen for Memorial Day Weekend?

14 hours ago

The Artist Tree Set to Open Second Fresno Cannabis Location

14 hours ago

Fresno Unified Is Fixing Accessibility to HR Building After Months of Complaints

14 hours ago

Fresno Affordable Housing Takes a Huge Hit. State Kills City’s ‘Pro-Housing’ Status

15 hours ago

Trump Admin Bars Harvard From Enrolling Foreign Students

16 hours ago

Clovis North Seniors Barred from Walking at Graduation After Caught with Alcohol

16 hours ago

House Republicans Pass Trump’s Big Bill of Tax Breaks and Program Cuts After All-Night Session

17 hours ago

Judge Blocks Trump Admin From Dismantling Education Department

17 hours ago

Gavin Newsom’s Off-the-Mark Budget Numbers Undermine His Credibility Again

17 hours ago

Meet Petunia. She Makes Hearts Melt With Every Purr

18 hours ago

Work Requirements Could Transform Medicaid and Food Aid Under US Budget Bill

The U.S. social safety net would be jolted if the budget bill backed by President Donald Trump and passed Thursday by the House of Represent...

12 hours ago

12 hours ago

Work Requirements Could Transform Medicaid and Food Aid Under US Budget Bill

13 hours ago

Stop Making Cents: US Mint Moves Forward With Plans to Kill the Penny

Huron 2017 Cold Case Murder
13 hours ago

Fresno County Detectives Revive 2017 Drive-By Murder Case

14 hours ago

Will the Pacific Coast Highway Reopen for Memorial Day Weekend?

14 hours ago

The Artist Tree Set to Open Second Fresno Cannabis Location

14 hours ago

Fresno Unified Is Fixing Accessibility to HR Building After Months of Complaints

15 hours ago

Fresno Affordable Housing Takes a Huge Hit. State Kills City’s ‘Pro-Housing’ Status

16 hours ago

Trump Admin Bars Harvard From Enrolling Foreign Students

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend