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 >
Industrials
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 >
Workforce, trade, capital: Conference highlights top manufacturing sector issues in Canada
Workforce dynamics, productivity, advanced technology investments and trade policies are some of the critical issues defining the future of Canada’s manufacturing sector, as highlighted at the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters 2023 National Manufacturing Conference in early November. The ... READ MORE >
Canada’s October jobs report: Cooling manufacturing labor market
Canada’s jobs report for October shows a continued slowdown in the manufacturing sector consistent with S&P Global’s purchasing managers' index, indicating that the manufacturing sector has been in a contraction territory since April this year. Canada’s manufacturing sector lost 19,000 jobs in ... READ MORE >
Job openings top estimates amid sharp drop in manufacturing
Job openings edged up in September as labor demand remained strong, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Wednesday. The manufacturing sector, according to a separate report from the Institute for Supply Management, declined at a faster rate than expected on falling employment and new ... READ MORE >
RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index: Financing costs and UAW strike take toll
Rising yields and the strike by the United Auto Workers contributed to a pullback in manufacturing in the United States into October, with the RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index slipping to 1.3 standard deviations below normal. Although it appears the end of the UAW strike is at hand pending votes ... READ MORE >