Business activity continued to grow at a solid clip in New York State

Business activity continued to grow at a solid clip in New York State, according to firms responding to the March 2017 Empire State Manufacturing Survey. 

• The headline general business conditions index edged down two points to 16.4.
• The new orders index climbed to 21.3, its highest level in several years, pointing to a substantial increase in orders.
•  Labor market conditions pointed to an increase in both employment and hours worked.
• Input prices and selling prices increased at a slower pace this month.
• Indexes assessing the six-month outlook, although generally somewhat lower, continued to convey a high degree of optimism about future conditions.