ISM service-sector gauge continues on soft pace of growth in February

The numbers: The Institute for Supply Management said on Tuesday that its service-sector PMI fell to 52.6% in February from 53.4% in the prior month.

The drop was bigger than expected. Economists polled by the Wall Street Journal had expected the ISM index to inch lower to 53.1%.

Numbers over 50% indicate expansion in the economy. The nonmanufacturing…