-- The New York Federal Reserve's services index rose to minus 14.0 in April from minus 22.6 in March, compared with a smaller expected increase to a reading of minus 20.0 in a survey compiled by Bloomberg as of 7:35 am ET.
The index is the first services sector reading for April and suggests a slower pace of contraction.
The business climate reading decreased in the month, but the readings for employment, wages and prices paid all increased.