In another sign that the American economy is slowing, 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. Inbound container shipments are seasonal in nature, and February is ... READ MORE >
Industrials
Jobless claims and producer prices point to a further slowdown
New data on the labor market and inflation released on Thursday continued to show a slowing economy as it heads to a likely recession. For the Federal Reserve, that data bolstered the case that it will pause its rate increases after one final hike in this cycle on May 3. Whether to have that ... READ MORE >
This week in energy: Surprise OPEC+ cuts, energy project legislation, electricity demand growth
In this week's energy industry roundup, we examine the impact and aftermath of the OPEC+ surprise cut announcement, a proposed bill to expedite energy projects, and transmission constraints on electricity demand growth. Aftermath of surprise OPEC+ cuts A surprise announcement from OPEC+ on Sunday that ... 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 ... READ MORE >
Manufacturing continues to show recession signs
The manufacturing sector contracted for the fourth month in a row in March, according to new data released by the Institute for Supply Management on Monday. The pace of the decline accelerated as the impact of steep interest rate hikes continued to weigh on overall demand. It has become evident that ... READ MORE >
RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index: Slowdown continues
There was little sign of improvement in U.S. manufacturing among the five areas surveyed in march by the Federal Reserve banks. According to the RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index based on those surveys, manufacturing activity remains at 1.8 standard deviations below normal. That implies a ... 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. Total orders dropped by 1% while autos, aircraft and defense orders were down by 0.9%, 6.6% and 7.4%, respectively, according to Commerce Department ... READ MORE >
U.S. manufacturing payrolls negative for first time in 21 months
Manufacturing payrolls lost 4,000 jobs in February, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data released Friday, the first net reduction the sector has experienced since April 2021 during the depths of the pandemic-induced recession. The negative figure wasn’t unexpected after nearly six months of ... 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. Headwinds for the solar energy industry As investment in alternative energy is on the rise, the importance of the solar ... READ MORE >
Manufacturing sector shrinks again in February amid falling demand
The manufacturing sector contracted for the third straight month as higher borrowing costs continued to affect demand. The Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing index in February was 47.7, remaining below the long-term breakeven point of 48.7. An index above 48.7 indicates an ... READ MORE >