South Accounts for Lion’s Share of Factory Construction Boom
States in the U.S. South are at the forefront of a massive renaissance in construction projects aimed at enhancing manufacturing capacity and supply chain resiliency.
Unemployment Rates Up From 2023 in 78% of US Metro Areas
Unemployment rates were higher in more than three-quarters of metropolitan areas in the U.S. last month compared with a year ago.
Fifty Years in Idle Time Seen for Trucks at Two Major US Ports
Trucking trips originating around the country’s busiest ports are showing massive increases in idle time, another sign of the supply chain logjams plaguing American transport hubs.
US June Manufacturing Index at Record High, Services Dip
A measure of U.S. manufacturing activity expanded in June at the fastest pace in records dating back to 2007, fueled by easing pandemic restrictions and a strengthening domestic economy.
Job Seekers Get Multiple Offers in Tight Labor Market
A greater share of America’s job hunters received more than one employment option this summer than got single offers, indicating lingering tightness in the labor market and upbeat firms despite recent recession concerns.
Business Expectations Index Drops to Record Low
A gauge of service industries’ business expectations fell in August to the lowest level since the survey started in October 2009, according to the IHS Markit monthly report.
Federal Reserve Finds Wide Tariff Anxiety
U.S. companies showed widespread concerns about tariff and trade policy uncertainty, but generally reported minimal impact thus far, according to a regional survey from the Federal Reserve.
Online Stores Grab No. 2 Spot in $520 Billion US Retail Market
Online shopping has become the second-biggest chunk of the $520 billion U.S. retail market, after overtaking grocery stores and restaurants in June.
Factory Index Falls to Nine-Year Low
A gauge of U.S. factories fell in June to the lowest since late 2009 and hovered just above the threshold between expansion and contraction, the latest signal that the American industrial sector is losing momentum amid rising uncertainty.
Top Inflation Hot Spots Clustered in California
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the national Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers rose 1.8% in May compared with last year, the lowest rate in three months. But the national average masks a wide divergence among metro areas.