Orders and shipments of core capital goods that exclude defense and aircraft spending, a key measure of private business investment, both fell by 0.4% in March. … READ MORE >
Industrials
Activity at top 10 U.S. ports signals softening economy; manufacturing activity contracts
February inbound container shipments at the top 10 U.S. ports hit their lowest level since before the pandemic, according to the latest available port data aggregated by Bloomberg. … READ MORE >
Jobless claims and producer prices point to a further slowdown
For the Federal Reserve, the new data bolstered the case that it will pause its rate increases after one final hike in this cycle on May 3. … READ MORE >
This week in energy: Surprise OPEC+ cuts, energy project legislation, electricity demand growth
We examine the aftermath of the OPEC+ surprise cut announcement, a proposed bill to expedite energy projects, and transmission constraints on electricity demand growth. … READ MORE >
Job openings and factory orders soften amid recession concerns
Job openings and factory orders came in lower than expected on Tuesday, continuing to show signs of softening economic demand that should work in the Federal Reserve’s favor in fighting inflation. When the new data is combined with softer economic data released recently, the risk of a recession in … … READ MORE >
Manufacturing continues to show recession signs
The manufacturing sector contracted for the fourth month in a row in March as the pace of the decline accelerated, according to ISM data. … READ MORE >
RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index: Slowdown continues
According to the RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index based on those surveys, manufacturing activity remains at 1.8 standard deviations below normal. … READ MORE >
Core business investment orders inched up in February
Durable goods orders in February fell for the second month in a row, driven mostly by declines in orders for automobiles, aircraft and defense. … READ MORE >
U.S. manufacturing payrolls negative for first time in 21 months
The negative figure wasn’t unexpected; the soft manufacturing labor data is simply catching up to the slowdown in activity. … READ MORE >
This week in energy: Solar headwinds, Willow project, Gulf Coast LNG
In this week’s energy industry roundup, we examine headwinds for the solar industry, the Willow oil project in Alaska and liquefied natural gas facilities along the U.S. Gulf Coast. … READ MORE >