By Steve Goldstein
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Manufacturing activity nudged higher in the New York region, according to a survey released Monday that reinforces other datapoints showing the U.S. economy is entering a spring slowdown. The New York Fed's Empire State index fell to 3.1 points in April from 9.2 in March. That's below the MarketWatch-compiled economist forecast of 7.8, and the slowest reading since January. Two other key subcomponents fell but remained in positive territory, with the new-orders index falling to 2.2 from 8.2 in March, and the shipments index dipping to 0.8 from 7.8 in March. The Empire State survey is a diffusion index, designed so that readings above zero indicate respondents on net saw better conditions.
