U.S. industrial orders took an unexpected downturn in November, while the service sector showed robust growth in December, according to recent data analyses.

Industrial Decline November saw a 0.4% drop in U.S. industrial orders compared to the previous month, slightly exceeding economists' predictions of a 0.3% decline. This follows a revised upward adjustment for October from a 0.2% increase to a 0.5% gain, as reported by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Service Sector Surge Conversely, the service sector in the U.S. displayed a vigorous expansion in December. According to S&P Global, the Services PMI rose to 56.8 from November's 56.1, although it fell short of the preliminary estimate of 58.5. This uptick signals a broader acceleration in economic activity, with the composite PMI for both manufacturing and services sectors climbing to 55.4 from 54.9. An index above 50 indicates growth, whereas below signals contraction.