The murky state of the U.S. economy became more mixed as new figures from the Institute for Supply Management showed overall manufacturing activity continued to shrink throughout April, but at a much smaller rate than expected. New orders for manufactured goods also jumped 1.1 percent, compared to a predicted .1 percent decline, as a weak dollar and strong growth in the developing world boosted exports. While housing and services continue to decline, manufacturing is proving resilient.

Snapshot asks, will slowing global growth crimp manufacturing's nascent recovery?

Financial Times - US factory orders continue to rise
London Stock Exchange - US Manufacturing Sector Down Less than Anticipated
Bloomberg - U.S. Economy: Manufacturing Shrank Less Than Forecast in May
Financial Times - Cheap U.S. Exports Boost Manufacturing