All eyes remain on Texas and the state’s energy grid operator in the aftermath of a devastating winter storm, oil prices responded positively to the U.S. House passing a new COVID-19 relief bill, and Canadian crude-by-rail exports are rebounding after a rough 2020. Biweekly, we round up news and analysis about three things going on in the energy industry ... READ MORE >
Industrials
Manufacturers of all stripes dominate the middle market, making everything from scanners to seatbelts. They create inputs for larger, well-known brands, producing colorants in foods, materials for construction, components for motorcycles and much more.
Top energy trends for oil and gas companies to watch in 2021
The energy industry faced unprecedented volatility in 2020 and operators were forced to react and adapt to a low-price environment. In 2021, many of those challenges remain as the pandemic continues and the years-long push toward the energy transition accelerates. Oil, gas and other energy companies will also need to closely follow policy changes under ... READ MORE >
The impact of Brexit on U.S. manufacturing companies
While Britain voted to leave the EU in 2016 and companies had about four years to prepare for the change, there was not much clarity on what Brexit would mean for companies until Dec. 24, 2020, when the post-Brexit trade deal—the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement—was finalized. Plenty of questions remain about what the specific impacts of the deal will ... READ MORE >
U.S. industrial production growth continues
The Federal Reserve said on Wednesday that its index of industrial production, a measure of output at factories, mines and utilities, rose last month as output continued to recover from the depths of the economic shutdown last spring. Total production rose 0.9% in January, following an increase of 1.3% in December. The results were slightly above the ... READ MORE >
3 things to know this week in energy: Canada consolidation, oil prices, and tech invests in renewables
Major tech investment in renewable energy continues, freezing weather in the United States lifts oil prices up and Canada’s energy market sees another major consolidation announcement. Biweekly, we round up news and analysis about three things going on in the energy industry that we think you should know about. Here’s the latest. Big Tech's investment in ... READ MORE >
3 things to know this week in energy: Drilling permit suspension pushback, Keystone XL and shale oil
There has been no shortage of energy industry news since President Joe Biden took office in January: last week, a group of Republican senators introduced a bill pushing back against the administration’s recent suspension of new drilling permits on federal lands; Biden’s move to revoke the Keystone XL pipeline permit is making waves; and oil companies are ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: Manufacturing remains strong despite labor, supply chain challenges
U.S. manufacturing activity remained robust in January but faced challenges on the labor and supply chain front, according to new data released Monday by the Institute for Supply Management. These challenges are limiting production and driving up prices. The ISM’s Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index – a key indicator of manufacturing activity – ... READ MORE >
RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index: Mixed results and a potential pause in the recovery
Sentiment among American manufacturers has receded again because of the rapid spread of COVID-19 that has taken a toll on the labor market, consumer demand and the economy. Since bottoming out in April and then bouncing back by October, the RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index is showing signs of retrenchment in some areas of the country. This implies ... READ MORE >
Economic recovery drives up raw material prices
Manufacturing activity during the pandemic tanked in April and May last year and has been inching toward recovery ever since. As manufacturing activity rebounds, companies are experiencing volatility not just in demand but also in raw material prices, which have been rising. Recovery in the automotive, construction and certain other manufacturing sectors ... READ MORE >
CHART OF THE DAY: U.S. durable goods orders rise for eighth straight month
Orders for long-lasting factory goods increased in December for the eighth straight month, according to U.S. Department of Commerce data released on Wednesday. New orders for durable goods rose 0.2% to a seasonally adjusted $245.3 billion in December, following an upwardly revised 1.2% gain (previously 1%) in November. Economists surveyed by The Wall ... READ MORE >