THE ECONOMY

Business at U.S. companies outside of manufacturing expanded in March for the third month in a row, the National Assn. of Purchasing Management said, suggesting the economy entered the second quarter on strong footing. The NAPM’s index of non-manufacturing business rose to 62.5 last month--the strongest reading since May--from 57 in February. In March 1998, the non-manufacturing index was at 58.5.