S&P Global final US services PMI 52.3 vs 52.4 prelim

<ul><li>Lowest since Feb</li><li>Prelim was 52.4</li><li>Prior was 54.4</li><li>Final composite PMI vs 52.0 prelim</li><li>Prior composite PMI was 53.2</li><li>Business activity and
new orders increased again, albeit at slower rates</li><li> cost pressures softened. Input prices rose at the
slowest pace since December 202</li></ul><p>The ISM services data is due at the top of the hour.</p><p>Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&amp;P
Global Market Intelligence, said:
</p><blockquote>"The service sector remains the main engine of growth
in the US economy, though there are signs of the motor
spluttering amid rising headwinds. Business activity
rose in July at the slowest rate since February, with the
rate of expansion sliding further from May's recent peak
in response to sharply reduced growth of new business.
Although spending from foreigners in the US continues
to grow strongly as the post-pandemic travel surge
shows signs of persisting, demand growth waned from
domestic customers, often linked to the rising cost of
living and higher interest rates.
</blockquote><blockquote>"Reflecting concerns that the upturn is faltering,
companies have become much less optimistic about the
outlook and reined-in their hiring as a result.
"An additional concern is that prices charged for services
rose at an accelerated rate in July, often linked to higher
staff costs. Such a wage-led stickiness of inflation in the
vast service sector will naturally worry policymakers.
</blockquote><blockquote>"With the weakening service sector expansion
accompanied by a near-stalled manufacturing sector,
the overall message from the surveys is that economic
growth weakened at the start of the third quarter, cooling
to an annualized rate of around 1.5%. The survey's price
gauges, however, continue to signal a stubbornness of
inflation around the 3% mark."</blockquote><p>There are worsening signs in the services sector as the post-pandemic revenge spending ends and rate hikes bite.</p>

This article was written by Adam Button at www.forexlive.com.