Industrial production rebounded in February after a two-month drop likely because of unfavorable winter weather. Overall volume rose by 0.1% on the back of robust manufacturing production, which grew by 0.8% on the month, the Federal Reserve reported on Friday. The total industrial production figure ... READ MORE >
Industrials
Should the U.S. ban imports of Chinese electric vehicles?
The Biden administration recently ordered an investigation into the national security threat posed by Chinese connected-vehicle technology. The outcome, if taken to an extreme, could result in a ban on the import of Chinese vehicles into the United States. But there is much more driving the ... READ MORE >
Softer economic data helps ease inflation concerns
The softer data in manufacturing activities, construction spending and consumer sentiment at the beginning of the year should alleviate some of the recent concerns regarding the rebound in inflation. The manufacturing sector, as indicated by the ISM manufacturing index, has been in contraction mode for ... READ MORE >
RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index: Soft sentiment in an uneven recovery
The slowdown in manufacturing continued into February, but at a slower pace, according to surveys conducted by regional Federal Reserve banks. In fact, two of the five regions used in our analysis of regional manufacturing (Philadelphia and Dallas) reported overall positive responses. Three regions ... READ MORE >
Softer economic data reaffirms prospect of a soft landing
The Federal Reserve's restrictive monetary stance showed that it continues to affect the economy in the first two months of the year. In other words, the Fed is getting closer to its goal of achieving a soft landing when the economy cools back down to a sustainable level of growth with inflation under ... READ MORE >
RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index: Pullback tempered by rise in capex
The pullback in manufacturing continued into January, with the RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index slipping further to nearly 2.8 standard deviations below conditions that would normally be expected. But the pullback was tempered by an increase in capital expenditures, a reflection of the resilience in ... READ MORE >
Retail sales and industrial production point to a strong end of the year
Resilience not recession is the right "R" word to describe the American economy in December. Wednesday's data from the Commerce Department showed retail sales blowing past expectations while industrial production volume stayed solid. The upside surprises, together with a robust labor market, prompted ... READ MORE >
Manufacturing sector in U.S. contracts in November
The manufacturing sector contracted for the second month in a row in November as lower overall demand and persistent labor shortages took their toll, the Institute for Supply Management reported on Friday. The overall index stayed unchanged at 46.7%, implying a decline. Any figure below 48.7% indicates ... READ MORE >
RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index: Slowdown even as jobs recover
Manufacturing continued to pull back in November, with the RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index remaining at 1.3 standard deviations below the level that would be considered normal. Although we think that the manufacturing sector has bottomed, any signs of an improvement have abated. A turn toward ... READ MORE >
Industrial production posts biggest drop this year amid strikes
Industrial production dropped by more than expected in October as the United Auto Workers strike was felt in the economy. Production of motor vehicle parts fell by 10%, marking the biggest drop since the beginning of the pandemic. The industrial production index declined by 0.6% on the month, according ... READ MORE >