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Some U.S. manufacturers find reasons to be cheerful about their prospects

Aug 24, 2023
Manufacturing has been weak for a while. But companies are optimistic about government investment and a future uptick in demand.
The Biden administration is investing in domestic industries it sees as strategically important, like clean energy. Above, wind turbine blades in a storage lot.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Manufacturing slows, but economy remains robust

Aug 3, 2023
Manufacturing slowed in July, but consumer demand and a strong service sector are shoring up the U.S. economy.
Furniture was one of the few growing sectors in July's manufacturing PMI report.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Inflation moderates in manufacturing and job market

Aug 2, 2023
As supply chains normalize and labor demand slackens, prices and wages are cooling off.
The easing of inflation is especially visible in vehicle production, said Garrett Nelson at CFRA.
Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP via Getty Images

Tech manufacturing is causing a boom in non-residential construction

Aug 1, 2023
Biden Administration policies are geared toward fixing high-tech supply chains and accelerating the transition to EVs.
Biden speaks during a visit to a General Motors electric vehicle assembly plant in Detroit, Michigan.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

The manufacturing sector is slowing. That could be a sign of a coming recession.

Jul 5, 2023
It's just over 10% of the U.S. economy but it has an outsized influence.
The Institute for Supply Management’s Purchasing Managers Index — a survey that measures manufacturing activity — fell again in June for an 8th straight month.
Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

White House EV investment push especially benefits one region

Jun 23, 2023
The government is lending $9.2 billion to Ford and a Korean partner to build electric vehicle battery factories in Kentucky and Tennessee.
Battery production is part of the Biden administration’s effort to promote electric vehicle development and manufacturing.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Economic indicators can't tell us the economy's whole story

Jun 23, 2023
The manufacturing sector is shrinking, according to a report. But that doesn’t account for people’s spending or the tight labor market.
"If you move beyond the vibes and look at the hard data, we’re creating jobs at a gangbusters pace, unemployment is at a 50-year low," says Justin Wolfers of the University of Michigan. "This ain’t a recession, man."
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Scaling EVs means skipping "half steps" with hybrids, GM's Mary Barra says

Jun 8, 2023
The automaker's CEO says it won't invest in hybrids, but instead focus on batteries, a new vehicle platform and charging infrastructure.
CEO Mary Barra says GM is focused on the problem of too few charging stations for EVs. "We know it'll be a gating factor if it's not sufficient," she says. Above, she speaks with host Kai Ryssdal at GM's Global Technical Center in Warren, Michigan.
Nancy Farghalli/Marketplace

U.S. manufacturing is sluggish, with some bright spots

Jun 5, 2023
Higher borrowing costs are one factor holding back the manufacturing sector.
General Motors announced Monday a $1 billion investment in two of its factories in Flint, Michigan. It joins a wave of sector investment in construction.
Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images

Labor is “unbelievably hard to find,” steel company president says

Apr 20, 2023
Lisa Goldenberg, president of Delaware Steel Co., believes the labor shortage could be a long-term issue.
Lisa Goldenberg, president of Delaware Steel Co., says it's important to invest in youth to help bring workers back into manufacturing.
Megan Jelinger/AFP via Getty Images