Price Data Contracting


ECONODAY: Growth in ISM's non-manufacturing sample held steady and solid, at 56.7 in January vs a revised 56.5 in December. This index peaked in August last year at 59.6 and has averaged 57.2 over the past 4 months.

New orders, at 59.5, are very solid and point to sustainable and strong rates of overall growth in the months ahead. Employment, however, is a weak point in the January report, down a sharp 4.1 points to 51.6 which is the lowest rate of monthly growth since April last year. Input prices, at 45.5, are on the negative side of breakeven 50 for the second straight month and are at their sharpest rate of contraction since July 2009...