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Manufacturing activity in the New York region expanded in December to the highest level in seven months, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said Thursday.

The regional Fed’s “Empire State Index,” generally the first economic indicator in a given month, jumped to a 9.5 reading, from 0.6 in November, the regional Fed said.

Readings above zero indicate expansion.

The December reading surpassed economists’ forecasts of a 3 reading, Bloomberg reported.

Manufacturing is one of trucking’s largest and most important customers.