S&P Global's flash Composite Purchasing Managers' Index , seen as a good gauge of overall economic health, climbed to 50.2 this month from 49.3 in December.
A mild winter so far, falling gas prices and recent positive economic data meant some quarterly growth forecasts in a Reuters poll published yesterday were upgraded although a technical recession was still predicted. Despite consumers facing large bills, demand only waned slightly. The new business index was just shy of the breakeven mark at 49.8, up from 48.4.
An index measuring output which feeds into the composite PMI bounced to a seven-month high of 49 from 47.8.