Service industries grew in March at about the same pace as a month earlier, indicating the biggest part of the U.S. economy is holding up.

The trade deficit in the U.S. shrank in February to the lowest level in more than five years as a labor dispute at West Coast ports contributed to the weakest reading on purchases from abroad since 2011.

The fewest Americans in nine weeks filed applications for unemployment benefits, a sign of further strength in the labor market that will continue to support the U.S. expansion.

The Conference Board’s index of leading economic indicators, a measure of the outlook for the next three to six months, rose 0.2% in February for a second month, the New York-based group said March 19.

U.S. manufacturing activity expanded at the slowest pace in a year in February as weaker growth abroad limited orders for American-made products, the Institute for Supply Management reported.

West Coast dockworkers and their employers reached a five-year contract deal Feb. 20, averting a shutdown of 29 ports that could have cost the U.S. economy $2 billion a day, Labor Secretary Tom Perez said.

West Coast ports that were closed to incoming cargo over the holiday weekend reopened Feb. 17.

President Obama’s administration took the first step to opening the skies above the United States to widespread civilian drone flights while proposing strict limits on commercial operations, including the use of drones as a delivery vehicle.

Congressional Republicans achieved an elusive legislative goal Feb. 11, sending a bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline to President Obama.