It took less than a week for the uneasy pause in trade tensions between Canada and the U.S. to reignite after U.S. President Donald Trump announced steep tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. The 25 per cent tariff, which is set to take effect on March 12, includes products from Canada — the largest ... READ MORE >
manufacturing
Canada’s unemployment rate falls to 6.6% as business sentiment improves
Canada’s economic resurgence appears well under way. The economy added 76,000 jobs in January, the employment rate rose 0.1 percentage points to 61.1 per cent and the unemployment rate fell 0.1 percentage points to 6.6 per cent. The unemployment rate fell back to a level last seen in October 2024—and ... READ MORE >
Even with pause, Trump’s tariffs and Canada’s response establish volatile new economic reality
Editor's note: This article has been updated following news of the pause in implementing tariffs. After a weekend that saw U.S. President Donald Trump impose steep tariffs on Canadian goods and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau put forward retaliatory measures, the widely feared tariff war appears on hold ... READ MORE >
To contend with higher tariffs, businesses need to act now
With higher tariffs likely under the incoming Trump administration, businesses are already making decisions in a way that will affect economic growth and reshape the global economy. We are already getting questions on pulling forward expected orders for durable goods to avoid the increase in ... READ MORE >
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 >
Manufacturing sector declines at a slightly slower rate in August
The manufacturing sector contracted for the fifth month in a row with both production and new orders being a significant drag, according to the Institute for Supply Management's purchasing managers' index. Even though the Federal Reserve has signaled a policy pivot to lower interest rates, the sector ... 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 >
Manufacturing activity slows in May
Softer manufacturing sentiment in May is within our expectations as elevated interest rates continue to weigh on overall goods demand. The Institute of Supply Management’s manufacturing index fell to 48.7 from 49.2, the lowest level in three months. Over a period of time, a reading above 48.7 indicates ... READ MORE >
RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index: Decline continues in May
Manufacturing activity continues to lag improvements in the general economy. Surveys of manufacturing firms conducted by five regional Federal Reserve banks continue to show the negative impact of a tight monetary policy and the lagged effect of an aggressive fiscal policy. Manufacturing in ... READ MORE >