The recent reopening of China’s factory floors and the easing of its supply chain bottlenecks have prompted discussion about the ability of the U.S. supply chain to absorb what will be a tsunami of imported goods. With the value of the dollar rising, which lowers the cost of imported goods, demand for ... 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.
Chart of the day: Industrial production hits a record amid signs of a slowdown
Industrial production in the United States hit a record in May, but signs of a coming economic slowdown emerged in the report released on Friday by the Federal Reserve. Production volume overall increased by 0.2% on the month for the fifth straight monthly gain. At the same time, manufacturing ... READ MORE >
Chart of the day: The long-term impact of a ban on Russian energy
As the war in Ukraine continues, the sanctions imposed on Russian oil and gas imports are playing a major role in the global energy crunch. But where is this impact being felt the most? Russia, after all, was the world’s largest exporter of natural gas last year and the second-largest exporter of oil ... READ MORE >
Inflation and gross margins—who is winning? Part 1: The transportation sector
RSM took a detailed look at gross margins across different peer groups in the industrials sector to see how each has fared during this time of high inflation. In this article—part of a series—we examine margins for the transportation sector. Here is what we found. The industrials sector played a ... READ MORE >
Manufacturing sector grew steadily in May
The manufacturing sector expanded at the slightly faster rate in May as demand remained strong, according to data from the Institute for Supply Management on Wednesday. The data will help alleviate some of the concern over an imminent recession as our recent RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index dipped ... READ MORE >
RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index shows 35% probability of recession over next year
The RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index declined into negative terrain in May, signaling the impact of high inflation, rising interest rates, the lockdowns in China and the war in Ukraine. While this decline does not imply that the manufacturing sector or the U.S. economy has fallen into a ... READ MORE >
The U.S. may see another supply whipsaw amid transport logjams
The months-long lockdown in Shanghai, China’s most populous city and home to the world’s largest container port, is causing a pile-up of ships at anchor off the Chinese coast. Factory shutdowns and the reduced flow of goods from the city’s port will cause another jolt to U.S. supply chains in the weeks ... READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Industrial production hits record
Industrial production set another record in April, defying recession concerns in equity and fixed-income markets. The Federal Reserve's index for industrial production volume rose by 0.8%, the fourth consecutive month of strong expansion, the report showed. All major industries posted gains, a sign of ... READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Manufacturing grew at a slower rate in April
Manufacturing grew at a slower rate in back-to-back months as labor shortages continued to hamper production while demand moderated from January's high. The Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing index registered 55.4%, the slowest growth rate since July 2020, and down from 57.1% in March. An ... READ MORE >
RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index: Decelerating growth as tensions mount
The deceleration of manufacturing is now in its ninth month, with the RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index signaling the potential for further economic moderation from rising prices and slowing demand. A deeper dive into the RSM survey suggests that geopolitical uncertainty and a resurgent ... READ MORE >