Services activity in the middle of the U.S. rose in October, while expectations for future activity moved lower, according to a monthly survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
The Tenth District Services Survey's composite index, a weighted average of indexes covering revenue/sales, employment and inventory, came in at 10 in October, compared with readings of 0 in September and minus 3 in August. Readings above zero indicate expansion, while those below zero indicate contraction.
The Kansas City Fed said business services cooled slightly this month, driven by moderate declines in activity in the transportation sector, while consumer services ticked up, led by increased activity in health services and non-discretionary retail trade.
The bank said its index of expectations for future services activity came in at 4 in October, down from 12 in September, amid lower employment expectations.
The Kansas City Fed's survey, released Friday, includes participants from such service industries as retail and wholesale trade, automobile dealers, real estate and restaurants. The survey provides information on current services activity in the Tenth District, which includes Colorado, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, the northern half of New Mexico and the western third of Missouri.
The bank's monthly manufacturing survey, released Thursday, showed that manufacturing activity in the central U.S. expanded at a slower pace this month.
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