Data this week to give better idea of US economy’s boom

WASHINGTON: The world will have a better idea by the end of this week, but probably no definitive answer, on whether the US economy’s boom in “soft” data is being reflected in the “hard” stuff.

This week’s economic data include trade figures and factory orders, culminating in a payrolls report on Friday forecast to show 175,000 jobs added by US employers in March. An Institute for Supply Management survey on Monday indicated manufacturers continued to expand at a robust pace in March.