Economy | Industrial Distribution

I Stock 1221293664

Chicago PMI Slides as Firms Cite Shortages of Materials, Labor

The index's Order Backlogs indicator hit its highest mark since 1951 and Prices Paid were its highest since 1979.

This satellite image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and captured by NOAA's GOES-16 shows lightning swirling around the eye of Hurricane Ida as the storm approaches the Louisiana coast on the morning of Aug. 29.

Analysts Estimate Modest Economic Damage from Ida

That's as long as damage estimates don't rise sharply and refinery shutdowns are not prolonged.

Manufacturer Raises Wages to Compete for Employees

As manufacturers compete for help, companies are getting aggressive.

Facade on the Federal Reserve Building in Washington DC.

Fed to Dial Back Ultra-Low Interest Rates Later This Year

However, the beginning of tapering does not signal any plan to start raising the Fed’s benchmark short-term rate.

June Cutting Tool Orders Up 7.1% From May, 20.5% YoY

The 12-month moving average improvement is in a healthy range.

Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell at a Senate hearing, July 15, 2021.

Fed Chairman: No Returning to Pre-Pandemic Economy

The pandemic, he said, appears certain to permanently "change the nature of work and the way work gets done."

In this March 24, 2021 photo, a sign stands near an entrance to a General Motors assembly plant in Wentzville, Mo.

U.S. Factory Output Accelerates to 4-Month High

It reflected a surge in production at auto plants that are still wrestling with major supply chain problems.

Workers wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus sew layers for ice-skating shoes at a manufacturing factory in the ice and snow sports equipment industry park in Zhangjiakou in northwestern China's Hebei province on July 15.

Official: Virus, Floods Likely to Slow China's Economic Growth

China’s economy still is in a “recovery trend” from last year’s pandemic-induced slowdown but is likely to weaken after a relatively strong first half.

Meat products are displayed for sale at a grocery store in Roslyn, PA on June 15.

July Wholesale Prices Rise 1% for Second-Straight Month

Over the past 12 months, prices at the wholesale level are up a record 7.8%

President Joe Biden speaks as he receives a briefing in the State Dining Room of the White House, Aug. 10, 2021.

White House Sounds Alarm on Energy Prices

Officials called on OPEC to move faster to restore the global supply of petroleum to pre-pandemic levels.

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June Manufacturing Technology Orders Topped Pre-Pandemic Level

AMT said June orders were up 49% year-over-year and grew 9% from May.

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Survey: Fastener Distributors' Business Accelerated in July, But Outlook Cooled

Distributor respondents cited strong sales, but concerns over logistics backlogs and highly-elevated pricing.