US November ISM Manufacturing in Contraction for 8th Straight Month but Shows Signs of Pickup in early 2025; Firms Look at Bright Side of Potentially Business Friendly New Administration

–ISM Manufacturing Index at 48.4 vs. 46.5 in October, Well above Median Forecast of 47.6–ISM’s Fiore: Concerns about Inflationary Fiscal Policy Not Going Away but Optimism over Trump Plans Kicks in–ISM’s Fiore: US Economy on Soft-Landing Course; Still Believes ISM Index Likely to Pick Up Above Neutral Line of 50 in Q1 of 2025 By […]

US July ISM Manufacturing in Contraction for 4th Straight Month as Soft Demand, Job Cuts Continue, Firms Await Fed Rate Cut

–ISM Manufacturing Index Dips to 46.8 from 48.5 in June, Well Below Median Forecast of 48.8–ISM’s Fiore: Sector in Temporary Trough, Not Diving into New Slump–Fiore: Firms Concerned About Supply Chain Disruptions amid Geopolitical Risks–Fiore: US Election Also Generating Uncertainty Over Future Energy Policy By Max Sato (MaceNews) – U.S. manufacturing activity was in contraction […]

US June ISM Manufacturing in Contraction for 3rd Straight Month as Demand Remains Weak amid High Interest Rates

–ISM Manufacturing Index Dips to 48.5 from 48.7 in May, Below Median Forecast of 49.1–ISM’s Fiore: Biggest Concern in June Report is over Falling Production–Fiore: Employment Unlikely to Expand Without Significant Pickup in Demand–Fiore: Manufacturing Still ‘Stable’ During Summer Months When Activity Slows Down By Max Sato (MaceNews) – U.S. manufacturing activity was in contraction […]

FOMC Holds Funds Rate Steady; No Rate Cut Til Confident Inflation Headed to 2%

–Fed Officials Project Single 25 BP Rate Cuts in 2024 –Powell Calls CPI ‘Encouraging,’ But Wants More Data To Gain ‘Confidence’ By Steven K. Beckner (MaceNews) – The Federal Reserve’s policy making Federal Open Market Committee again held the federal funds rate steady Wednesday and gave no indication it will be cutting that key money […]

FOMC Stands Pat Hints of More Hawkish Stance; ‘Dot Plot’ Sees One Rate Cut This Year

WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – The Federal Open Market Committee kept the fed funds rate as is again this time around while the “dot plot” projections that accompanied the policy statement contained hints of a slightly more hawkish stance, seeing just one rate cut this year. The statement text, with no dissents, follows: Recent indicators suggest that […]