consumer demand

One big driver of those increases: data center construction.

Wall Street had been betting that higher oil prices will cause inflation. Now oil prices are dropping, and the leading theory is that cheaper goods could overheat the economy.

While both sales and inventories are up, analysts warn that consumers are being picky about what they purchase. And wholesalers need to decide how much to stock up for the uncertain future.

A cloudy outlook for consumer demand is causing many business owners to limit their growth plans out of caution. But keeping growth in check can have upsides.

Warehousing use contracted in November for the first time in the Logistics Manager’s Index 9-year history.

The latest NFIB survey of small businesses found nearly a quarter of small businesses raised prices last month. And nearly a third plan to do so in the next three months.

Demand for corrugated boxes can hint at how much consumers are buying

Sometimes they’re investing to meet current demand, sometimes they’re planning for the future.

Wholesalers supply both retailers and manufacturers.

Early in the pandemic, congested supply chains drove inflation. Now, we’re seeing growth without major disruptions.