A blanket tariff by the U.S. on Canadian imports is unlikely to materialize early next year despite rhetoric from U.S. president-elect Donald Trump. Still, the mere prospect of new tariffs has caused considerable anxiety in Canada. Such a move would have dire economic implications on both ... READ MORE >
industrials
Manufacturing sector jobs dipped in August
The manufacturing sector lost 24,000 jobs in August, following an upward-adjusted addition of 6,000 in July, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Using a three-month moving average, manufacturing job additions have maintained a breakeven pattern for the past two and a half years but with the ... READ MORE >
Top 5 takeaways from MLC’s June manufacturing conference
From securing connected operations in the age of edge computing to easing the burden of technical debt, manufacturing executives converged in Marco Island, Florida, last week to discuss the industry's most pressing issues. The focus of the Manufacturing Leadership Council’s 2024 Rethink conference—also ... READ MORE >
Manufacturing added jobs in May, but still shows signs of softening
While federal employment numbers released Friday show that U.S. manufacturing added jobs in May, the sector also continued a gradual softening, according to data released earlier this week by the Institute for Supply Management. The ISM’s Purchasing Managers Index, which gauges U.S. factory activity, ... 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 >
UAW strike and Unifor bargaining: Impact on Canada’s auto sector
As the United Auto Workers strike in the United States makes headlines, automakers have also been renegotiating labor contracts with Canadian union Unifor, which represents 20,000 auto workers. Given the deep interconnectedness of the U.S.-Canada automotive supply chain, any U.S. disruptions are bound ... READ MORE >
The looming government shutdown’s potential impact on manufacturers
Though the looming government shutdown would likely only push a small portion of economic activity into 2024, it could have significant impact on middle market manufacturers. One reason for this is that October can be a critical time to manage supply chains, address any potential disruptions and get ... READ MORE >
Industrial production and housing rebound in July, affirming GDP growth outlook
Industrial production, housing starts and permits in July have set the tone for a robust third quarter, as GDP growth is expected to be stronger than the long-run level of 1.8%. Industrial production rose 1% on the month, while housing starts and permits rose 3.9% and 0.1%, respectively, according to ... READ MORE >
Surging manufacturing construction: Industrial policy and U.S. semiconductors
For the past half century, the political economy of the United States has rested upon a foundation of free markets and trade, and a federal government that refrains from picking winners and losers when it comes to domestic investment. The exceptions to that rule have revolved around national security ... READ MORE >