The numbers: The huge services side of the U.S. economy that employs most Americans grew in January at the fastest pace since last summer, with many companies saying they got off to a good start at the beginning of the new year.
The Institute for Supply Management said its index of service-oriented companies such as hospitals, retailers and restaurants rose to a six-month high of 55.5% last month from 54.9% in December. The increase exceeded the MarketWatch forecast of 55%.
