Dow Jones Business News (09/04/14) Kathleen Madigan

The Institute for Supply Management’s nonmanufacturing purchasing managers index unexpectedly increased from 58.7 in July to 59.6 in August, indicating that the economy is growing at a solid pace this quarter. Experts surveyed by the Wall Street Journal had forecast a reading of 57.5. Separately, Markit’s service sector composite PMI fell from 60.8 in July to 59.5 in August.

Economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal forecast that real gross domestic product will increase at a 3% annual rate during the third and fourth quarters of 2014.