Philadelphia-area manufacturing activity continued to expand in the month of February, according to a report released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia on Thursday, although the index of activity in the sector pulled back sharply.
The Philly Fed said its diffusion index for current general activity plunged to 18.1 in February after skyrocketing to 44.3 in January, but a positive reading still indicates growth. Economists had expected the index to slump to 20.0.
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April 17, 2026 15:29 ET The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to raise concerns for policymakers who worry about the impact of the supply shock and high energy prices on the real economy. Producer price data and various survey results on the housing market were the main news from the U.S. this week. In Europe, industrial production data for the euro area gained attention. GDP figures out of China and the policy move by the Singapore central bank were in focus in Asia.