Producer prices climb 6.6% in May on annual basis, largest 12-month increase on record

PUBLISHED TUE, JUN 15 20218:34 AM EDTUPDATED TUE, JUN 15 202111:17 AM EDT Jeff Cox@JEFF.COX.7528@JEFFCOXCNBCCOM Producer prices rose at their fastest annual clip in nearly 11 years in May as inflation continued to build in the U.S. economy, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. The 6.6% surge was the biggest 12-month rise in the final demandRead More

Reshoring Rose Significantly in 2020, Report Finds

The Reshoring Initiative said the push by companies to return operations to the U.S. was a COVID-19 silver lining. IW Staff JUN 02, 2021 During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. found itself unexpectedly facing down a global pandemic it was not materially supplied for. Shortages of PPE and medical technology pushed 3M protective mask operationsRead More

Manufacturing in May Grows, Still Troubled by Supply Difficulties

Optimism is up among surveyed manufacturers after 12 solid months of growth. Ryan Secard JUN 01, 2021 According to the latest data from the Institute for Supply Management, expansion in manufacturing is still on the rise despite record-long lead times and wide-scale shortages of critical basic materials. The manufacturing sector as a whole has consistentlyRead More

The World Economy Is Suddenly Running Low on Everything

May 18, 2021 Bloomberg A year ago, as the pandemic ravaged country after country and economies shuddered, consumers were the ones panic-buying. Today, on the rebound, it’s companies furiously trying to stock up. Mattress producers to car manufacturers to aluminum foil makers are buying more material than they need to survive the breakneck speed atRead More

Job Satisfaction Remains High, Despite Pandemic

Employees are happy as many companies went above and beyond in supporting their workers during the pandemic, said the Conference Board EHS Today Staff APR 28, 2021 Despite the fallout from the pandemic -- an economic crisis, mass layoffs, and high unemployment -- the percent of employees reporting overall satisfaction with their jobs remained highRead More

Global Steel Demand Recovering in 2021

The World Steel Assn. forecasts steel demand growing by 5.8% to 1.87 billion metric tons this year, after a slight decrease in 2020, with an automotive sector rebound among the leading factors. APR 18, 2021 The World Steel Association forecasts that global steel demand will rise 5.8% this year to 1.87 billion metric tons, thenRead More

With China Policy in Tatters, OEMs Best Expect More Shortages

It's not just semiconductors; the US is at least a generation away from any kind of self-sufficiency in too many important areas. Paul Ericksen Eamon McKinney APR 14, 2021 Opinion/Analysis To say the recent America-China summit in Alaska didn’t go well would be a monumental understatement. It was no surprise to the Chinese contingent thatRead More

US jobless claims plunge to 576,000, lowest since pandemic

Elyse Russo APR 15, 2021 / 08:02 AM CDT The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits tumbled last week to 576,000, a post-COVID low and a hopeful sign that layoffs are easing as the economy recovers from the pandemic recession. The Labor Department said Thursday that applications plummeted by 193,000 from a revised 769,000 a weekRead More

Industrial Production Returns to Growth After February’s Storms Subside

U.S. manufacturing output rose 2.7% in March after falling almost 4% in February. IW Staff APR 15, 2021 The Federal Reserve reported on April 15 that industrial production in March rose 1.4%, returning to growth after an unseasonably stormy February knocked it down 2.6%. The report shows total industrial production rose 2.5% at an annualizedRead More

The economy is on the cusp of a major boom and economists believe it could last

PUBLISHED FRI, APR 9 2021 Patti Domm@IN/PATTI-DOMM-9224884/@PATTIDOMM The economy has entered a period of supercharged growth, and instead of fizzling, it could potentially remain stronger than it was during the pre-pandemic era into 2023. Economists now expect the second quarter to grow at a pace of 10%, and growth for 2021 is expected to be north of 6.5%.Read More