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Manufacturing data boosts US
MANUFACTURING output expanded strongly in the US Midwest this month, and the number of new unemployment claimants stayed at a four-year low last week, data showed yesterday.
The Kansas Fed’s manufacturing index rose to 13, up from seven in January. The survey’s production index stayed strong at 20, while the employment component rose from nine to 11.
Such jobs growth was reflected in the Labor Department’s initial jobless figures, which came in at 351,000 for the week, the lowest level since 2008.