The U.S. ISM Services PMI climbed 1.9 pts to 52.0 in August. That was better than expected and marked the highest level since February, suggesting resilience in the still-expanding services sector despite some headwinds. The new orders gauge jumped nicely to the highest level since October 2024 on sturdy demand, while business activity continued to expand. Meanwhile, after faltering below the 50-mark in July, the imports index jumped to the highest level since the start of 2024. However, that's where the good news ends, with the rest of the details rather lacklustre. The prices paid index eased slightly—but cost ... (full story)