Growth rates in construction employment strongly support the emerging consensus around an economic soft landing. Public policy put in place in recent years—with $300 billion going to public infrastructure and clean energy in addition to $53 billion allocated to jumpstart a semiconductor supply ... READ MORE >
manufacturing
The UAW strike’s potential impact on U.S. auto sector
The United Auto Workers union strike comes at a critical time when U.S. automakers are trying to position themselves as global leaders, especially on the electric vehicle front. An enduring UAW strike could have significant financial implications for automakers, causing them to redirect crucial ... READ MORE >
Manufacturing sentiment improves for the first time in nearly a year
The manufacturing sector in September expanded for the first time in 10 months on the heels of the strongest production growth since last summer, the Institute for Supply Management reported on Monday. We believe the sector has passed its bottom and is on an upward trend, given the tailwinds of higher ... 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 >
RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index: Four months of improvements at risk
The RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index continues to improve, with September’s results the fourth month of a developing uptrend. Three of the five regional Federal Reserve surveys reported increased activity during the month, while the Philadelphia and Kansas City regions reported significant ... READ MORE >
Contraction in manufacturing eased in August
The contraction in manufacturing sector eased in August, fueled by record spending on new plants in July. The data adds to signals that the manufacturing sector is nearing a bottom and that a rebound is not too far away. The manufacturing purchasing managers’ index rose to 47.6 in August, up from ... READ MORE >
RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index: Signs of a bottom
The decline in the RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index appears to be nearing a bottom. We think that the mild recession in the manufacturing sector is approaching its end. The nascent manufacturing construction boom will soon translate into robust new orders and we think that a policy-induced tailwind will ... READ MORE >
RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index: A continued decline in July
The RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index moved sideways in July as manufacturing firms in four of the five Federal Reserve regions again reported outright declines in activity as well as declines in new orders. Only the New York region reported increased activity and a rise in new orders, and ... 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 >
RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index: Slowdown continues
Manufacturers across much of the United States reported slowing activity in June, according to surveys by regional Federal Reserve banks. The RSM US Manufacturing Outlook Index remained 1.7 standard deviations below normal, the 14th consecutive month of negative values. Our index is based ... READ MORE >