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 >
industrials
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 >
Manufacturing sector gained jobs in June, labor shortage remained
The manufacturing sector added 7,000 jobs in June, following an adjusted net loss of 3,000 jobs in May, according to the latest jobs report released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Overall, the sector employed 12.9 million workers last month. Even with the job growth in June, the ... READ MORE >
Activity at top 10 U.S. ports signals softening economy; manufacturing activity contracts
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 >
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: Russia oil price cap, natural gas outlook, nuclear SMRs
In this week's energy industry analysis, we take a look at the European Union's latest sanction on Russian oil, the Energy Information Administration's natural gas outlook, and plans for North America's first small modular reactor. The EU’s latest sanction on Russian oil The European Union on Feb. 5 ... READ MORE >
Manufacturing labor market tightens further as pace of hiring slows
The United States added 8,000 manufacturing jobs in December, making for a total of 379,000 new manufacturing jobs added in 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This marks a 3% rise in new manufacturing jobs compared to 2021, but the hiring pace in the last few months has slowed. The U.S. ... READ MORE >
Outer space: an endless frontier of opportunities for federal contractors
While inflation and macroeconomic uncertainty continued, interest in space demand drew attention from notable investors, international governments and key players in the federal contractor market in Q3. Space and intelligence players navigated their short- and long-term objectives to successfully execute ... READ MORE >
Globalized manufacturing enters a new era
The era of globalization which brought cheap goods, low inflation, rapid growth and inexpensive capital is transitioning to a new state. Globalization is not dead, but the makeup of its participants has shifted and the rules of global trade continue to be rewritten as businesses diversify where they ... READ MORE >