US business activity growth slowed to an 11-month low in March as businesses reported a slightly weaker upturn in new orders and spike in prices following the outbreak of war in the Middle East. The service sector was harder hit as manufacturers reported an upturn in output and new order book growth. A similar divergence was also seen regarding output expectations, with a weaker outlook among service providers contrasting with a more upbeat perspective among manufacturers, the latter buoyed in part by fewer tariffrelated worries. However, overall private sector confidence declined and contributed to the first fall in ... (full story)