U.S. business activity is up moderately, services sector continues to lag behind

In the United States, the number of jobs in the service sector fell by 14,000, according to official statistics for February, released Wednesday. In the goods-producing sector, the figure increased by 131 thousand, in private companies, employment growth met expectations (+117 thousand). However, the main US indices, nevertheless, finished the trading day with losses - Dow Jones, S&P 500 and NASDAQ indexes lost 0.39%, 1.31% and 2.42% respectively. According to the Federal Reserve, from the beginning of January to mid-February, economic activity in most U.S. counties was moderate. This is stated in the Beige Book (the regulator's commentary on the state of the national economy). The office notes that the business community is optimistic about prospects for GDP growth this year, fueled by the spread of vaccines.