U.K. services PMI jumps to more than six-year high

LONDON (MarketWatch)
Service activity in the U.K. expanded at the sharpest rate since December 2006 in August, according to Markit/CIPS's services purchasing managers' index for the country
The index rose to 60.5 in August, improving from July's 60.2 and beating expectations of a 59.8 reading
The details of the report showed the growth was largely supported by a rise in new businesses, with many reports of an increase in market confidence
Growth for new businesses has been recorded for eight straight months and the rise in August marked the sharpest increase in over 16 years