manufacturing

Businesses have spent the last year and a half trying to whittle down excess inventories. Some businesses still have work to do, but others are likely to build those inventories up this year.

“It’s by no means anywhere near as awful as the headline number makes it look,” one analyst says.

Economist say the rise in high-tech manufacturing — of things like semiconductors and circuit boards — in the U.S. bolsters national security.

Activity in the sector contracted last year, but federal investment is one of the factors that could make 2024 better.

Some are doing well enough that they don’t need to borrow in order to expand and improve.

The Institute for Supply Management’s Purchasing Managers Index showed worse-than-expected performance for manufacturing, but construction growth shone.

Consumers may spend a record $12.2 billion this year — that’s the treat. But sellers may need tricks to bring their goods to market.

Furniture used to last a lifetime. Now, not so much. But how did we get here?

Their volatility can overshadow broader trends. But those orders are just the start of a long, expansive manufacturing supply chain.

They’re usually cheaper than permanent employees, but they can reduce productivity.