U.S. manufacturing activity at nearly two-year high; new orders accelerate

U.S. manufacturing activity accelerated to a nearly two-year high in August aided by a surge in new orders, but employment at factories continued to lag amid safety restrictions intended to slow the spread of COVID-19.The upbeat report from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) strengthened expectations for a sharp rebound in economic activity this quarter, though the improvement in manufacturing remained uneven as the coronavirus pandemic boosted demand for goods like home electronics at th