US DATA: Dec Philly Fed data show prices paid 51.2, new orders 14.6
vs 10.4, employment 5.1 vs 13.3. Text: “regional manufacturing
conditions continued to improve in December. All of the broad indicators
remained positive and suggest an expansion of activity. Increases in
input prices were more widespread this month, and more firms reported
increases in prices for their manufactured goods. The survey’s broad
indicators of future activity suggest that optimism among the region’s
manufacturing executives also continues to improve.