U.S. Industrial Outlook: Employment Gains Should Lead to Growth in 2016
December 28, 2015 | MAPI FoundationEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
Flat manufacturing production in the fourth quarter of 2015 should give way to 3.3% growth in the first half of 2016, in part because of expected job gains, according to the MAPI Foundation's U.S. Industrial Outlook, a quarterly report that analyzes 27 major industries. The MAPI Foundation is the research affiliate of the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation.
Manufacturing industrial production rose at a 3.3% annual rate in the third quarter of 2015, a meager recovery from a flat first half of the year, and to which it is anticipated to return in the fourth quarter because of a predicted inventory runoff in November and December.
The MAPI Foundation forecasts manufacturing production growth of 2.6% in 2016, 3.0% in 2017, and 2.8% in 2018. The 2016 forecast is a decrease from 3.4% and the 2017 forecast is lower than the 3.1% in the September report. The MAPI Foundation anticipates overall GDP will advance by 2.9% in 2016, 2.7% in 2017, and 2.5% in 2018.
"The growth driver for the outlook is continued strong employment growth, which creates new income growth and a solid base of consumer spending," said MAPI Foundation Chief Economist Daniel J. Meckstroth, Ph.D. "Another impetus is easy credit availability, which propels big-ticket spending for motor vehicles, residential housing, and nonresidential construction.
"The 2016 outlook is helped by the absorption of the negative shocks in 2015 such as the severe winter that disrupted transportation and shut down plants," he added. "There will not be another West Coast port strike and oil and gas prices will not drop by half again next year. And while the U.S. dollar may appreciate somewhat in 2016, it will not surge 15% again. The absence of these negative shocks provides some positive momentum for 2016."
Page 1 of 2
Suggested Items
Manncorp Launches Industry-First 'Build Your Own SMT Line' Tool
05/02/2025 | ManncorpManncorp, a leading supplier of SMT (Surface Mount Technology) equipment, proudly announces the official launch of its “Build Your Own SMT Line” tool – a first-of-its-kind resource in the electronics manufacturing industry. Introduced just one month ago, this revolutionary online feature gives manufacturers the unprecedented ability to design a complete SMT production line tailored to their exact needs – all from their desktop.
LG Innotek to Build FC-BGA into 700 Million USD Business with State-of-the-art Dream Factory
05/01/2025 | PR NewswireLG unveiled the Dream Factory, a hub for the production of FC-BGAs (Flip Chip Ball Grid Arrays), the company's next-generation growth engine, to the media for the first time and announced it on the 30th April.
Schweizer Electronic Publishes Group Figures for 2024 and Provides Outlook for 2025
05/01/2025 | Schweizer Electronic AGSCHWEIZER achieved a turnover of EUR 144.5 million in the 2024 financial year (previous year: EUR 139.4 million), the highest consolidated turnover in the company's history.
Elephantech Launches SustainaCircuits Multilayer Solutions with Equipment and Material Provision, Signs Second MoU with LITEON
04/30/2025 | ElephantechJapanese deep-tech innovator Elephantech has officially launched its SustainaCircuits multilayer solutions, offering both equipment and materials to enable low-carbon Printed Circuits Board (PCB) manufacturing.
Aspocomp Reports Strong Q1 2025: Significant Sales Growth and Return to Profitability
04/30/2025 | AspocompAspocomp Group Plc announced its interim report for the first quarter of 2025, demonstrating a significant turnaround with substantial increases in both order book and net sales, and a clear return to profitability.