In October, the preliminary US services SME index compiled by S&P Global fell to 46.6 points, making it worse than the expected 49.2 points, and worsening compared to 49.3 points in September.
The phase of contraction in services activity has therefore intensified, with the decline in the index which was the second fastest in the last two and a half years.
The figure moved further away from the 50-point threshold, the dividing line between the contraction phase (values below) and the expansion phase (values above).
The preliminary index of October relating to the manufacturing PMI remained almost unchanged at 50.7 points, compared to the previous 50.6 points, confirming the expansion phase. However, the new orders sub-index of the data returned to a phase of contraction.