NY Empire State Manufacturing Index (Feb) 5.70 Forecast -1.90

New York's manufacturing sector experienced a modest uptick, with the NY Empire State Manufacturing Index rising to 5.7 from January's -12.6, surpassing the anticipated -1.9. This growth was driven by increases in new orders and shipments, while employment levels saw a slight decline. Notably, input prices escalated at the fastest rate in nearly two years, indicating mounting inflationary pressures. Despite the current improvement, business optimism for the next six months has diminished significantly, reflecting concerns over future conditions