On Thursday the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank noted that factory activity in the mid-Atlantic region continued to slow in June with its index posting minus 17.1 compared to 15.6 in May.

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They had been sent by the company Mande Construction Immobiliere to take soil samples in the Hombori region where it planned to build a cement factory.

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Sainsbury's wants to build what would be one of the region's largest stores on an old factory site in Westfield, between Midsomer Norton and Radstock.

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Other data shows a modest rebound in factory activity in the U.S. mid-Atlantic region.

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Frame Homes' new factory in Redruth will supply four housing associations with homes on sites around the region.

BBC: NEWS | UK | England | Devon | Production line rolls for houses