Orders placed with U.S. factories for business equipment snapped back in February after two months of declines, consistent with steady manufacturing growth, a Commerce Department report showed March 23.

Optimism among small companies in the U.S. rose more than forecast in January, fueled by a record number of owners who said now was a good time to expand, according to a National Federation of Independent Business survey released Feb. 12.

U.S. consumer credit outstanding rose in November by the most in 16 years as credit-card balances surged, Federal Reserve data showed Jan. 8.

America’s service industries expanded in December at the weakest pace in four months as orders cooled at companies that make up the bulk of the economy, a survey from the Institute for Supply Management showed Jan. 5.

Optimism among small companies in the U.S. advanced last month to the highest level in more than 34 years as owners became more upbeat about future economic conditions and sales prospects, according to a National Federation of Independent Business survey released Dec. 12.

U.S. consumer credit outstanding rose in October by the most since November 2016 on larger credit-card balances, Federal Reserve data showed Dec. 7.

Improved sentiment about the buying climate and personal finances helped carry household optimism to a 13-week high, Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index figures showed Dec. 7.

The share of U.S. small companies with open positions in October matched the second-highest on record and more businesses said they plan to boost compensation, signs that a tight labor market could soon translate into bigger pay raises.

America’s factories cranked it up in October, according to the latest regional manufacturing indexes.

U.S. employment costs picked up in the third quarter from the previous three months, helped in part by faster wage gains in manufacturing, the Labor Department said Oct. 31.