US economic malaise extends into March as new work inflows hit post-recession low

The US economy is going through its worst growth spell for three and a half years, according to flash PMI survey data from Markit. The headline index from the two PMI national surveys covering manufacturing and services had fallen to the stagnation-level of 50.0 in February and rose only modestly in March to 51.1. That was the third-lowest reading seen since the global financial crisis.