Empire State index little changed in March

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Empire State index little changed in March
from MarketWatch.com - MarketPulse
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- The Empire State manufacturing index was little changed in March, remaining in positive territory for the second month after six straight negative readings, the New York Federal Reserve Bank said Friday. The Empire State index slipped to 9.2 in March from 10.0 in the prior month. Economists polled by MarketWatch expected the index to hold steady at 10. Details of the report were also somewhat weaker. The key new orders sub-index fell to 8.2 from 13.3 and shipment slipped to 7.8 in March from 13.1 in February. Labor market conditions were mixed in the month. The report showed increasing optimism as an index of expectations of activity six months ahead rose to its highest level in almost a year.