manufacturing

Automotive resurgence? Hyundai’s $21B bet on the US

The American automotive industry finds itself at a critical juncture in 2025, with conflicting signals about its future trajectory. On one hand, recent announcements of major investments and the looming threat of tariffs point to potential growth. On the other, the industry continues to grapple with ongoing challenges that have led to job losses and production cuts in recent years. As automakers and policymakers navigate this complex landscape, the question remains: Is the U.S. auto sector...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/automotive-resurgence-hyundais-21b-bet-on-the-us

New American Industrial Alliance grows as tariffs boost domestic manufacturing

As market analysts continue to gauge the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, some domestic manufacturers are banding together to revitalize America’s manufacturing sector.

Formic, a robots-as-a-service automation provider for U.S. manufacturers, has joined the New American Industrial Alliance (NAIA) to grow accessible automation and workforce training initiatives in the U.S.

The company told FreightWaves in an email that the decision comes in the face of rising tariffs as more and more...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/new-american-industrial-alliance-grows-as-tariffs-boost-domestic-manufacturing

Industrial outlook darkens ahead of tariffs

In the run-up to Tuesday’s promised barrage of tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China, the U.S. industrial sector is not looking so hot — a dark omen for domestic freight demand.

Unstable foundations for housing

For one, construction spending took an unexpected hit in January, down 0.2% from December against consensus expectations of stability. Outlays for private residential projects fell 0.4%, despite a 0.6% monthly rise in single-family spending.

SONAR: Total U.S. construction spending, in...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/industrial-outlook-darkens-ahead-of-tariffs

Better-than-expected industrial production data hides softness

U.S. industrial production increased more than expected in January, driven by a surge in utilities output due to cold weather that obscured underlying weakness in manufacturing and mining, which both declined. The Federal Reserve reported on Friday that industrial production rose 0.5% last month, surpassing economists’ forecasts of a 0.3% gain.

The better-than-expected headline figure comes after a 1% jump in December, which was revised up from the initially reported 0.9% increase. Compared to a...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/better-than-expected-industrial-production-data-hides-softness

Can the US consumer survive a trade war?

Reading the latest headlines, one might expect the U.S. economy to be barrelling into a recession or even depression. The chaotic uncertainty of President Donald Trump’s trade approach — what his supporters might call “the art of the deal” — has given businesses whiplash and set many markets to panicking.

But should consumers be afraid?

No, probably not. If they were able to keep pace with the incredible inflation of the early pandemic, consumers should be able to weather any storm kicked up by...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/can-the-us-consumer-survive-a-trade-war

¿Puede el consumidor estadounidense sobrevivir a una guerra comercial?

Al leer los últimos titulares, uno podría esperar que la economía estadounidense se acerque a una recesión o incluso depresión. La incertidumbre caótica del enfoque comercial del presidente Donald Trump, lo que sus partidarios podrían llamar «el arte del acuerdo», le ha dado a las empresas un...

https://fullavantenews.com/puede-el-consumidor-estadounidense-sobrevivir-a-una-guerra-comercial/?lang=es

Automakers taken for a spin following tariff announcements

The U.S. automotive industry is bracing for a massive shake-up after President Donald Trump announced a round of tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China.

Initially set to take effect on Tuesday, the new measures impose a 25% duty on goods from Canada and Mexico, in addition to raising tariffs on Chinese imports by 10%. The tariffs were justified by Trump as a response to concerns over these countries’ roles in fentanyl trafficking, illegal immigration and trade imbalances.

Following a...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/automakers-taken-for-a-spin-following-tariff-announcements

Energy markets panic over tariffs, but then relax

Energy markets on Monday at least partly shrugged off the potential impact on prices of new U.S. tariffs. 

Most of the tariffs are set to take effect on Tuesday, though Trump extended the deadline for Mexico by one month after its president pledged to deploy 10,000 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. 

Refiners balk at higher costs

In the immediate aftermath of the announcement, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) — a domestic benchmark — crude futures surged by $2.65 per barrel, outpacing...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/energy-markets-panic-over-tariffs-but-then-relax

Truckers don’t need to worry about the economy

In perhaps the least surprising conference over the past several months, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell announced that the Fed was leaving its target interest rates untouched for now.

SONAR: Effective federal funds rate (white).
To learn more about FreightWaves SONAR, click here.

At last Wednesday’s press conference, Powell reiterated the Fed’s commitment to make data-driven decisions in accordance with its “dual mandate,” which is to stabilize prices and secure maximum employment. 

One of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/truckers-dont-need-to-worry-about-the-economy

Los temores de inflación y los precios de la vivienda asustan a los consumidores

A diferencia de El optimismo cauteloso de los fabricantesla ansiedad económica está en aumento entre los consumidores por primera vez en seis meses. El índice de sentimientos de consumo de la Universidad de Michigan cayó a 71.1 en enero, por debajo de las expectativas de ambos analistas de 73.2 y...

https://fullavantenews.com/los-temores-de-inflacion-y-los-precios-de-la-vivienda-asustan-a-los-consumidores/?lang=es

+ More