Economy

Apologies to Our Premium-Level Subscribers
Written by Tim Triplett
January 14, 2019
When the public first learned the government was shutting down, many of us thought, “Glad I don’t work for Uncle Sam!” Now, as the shutdown extends its record as the longest in U.S. history, the effects are being felt well beyond the households of government employees. Even here at Steel Market Update. With government data suddenly unavailable, it’s impossible to update many of our regular reports. Readers may see some delays in the normal delivery of our Premium-level content. Our apologies.
As Chris Kuehl of Armada Corporate Intelligence reported in his latest newsletter, the government shutdown “is certainly making life a bit more difficult for economists and analysts. Among those who have been deemed non-essential are the legions of statisticians and researchers who collect and assess all the information that comes in to the government every hour of every day. If this shutdown drags on for much longer, there will be some substantial gaps developing in terms of what we know about the performance of the economy. Given that these are critical days of transition, this is bad timing to say the least.”

Tim Triplett
Read more from Tim TriplettLatest in Economy

Consumer auto delinquencies: Warning sign for consumer health?
The Consumer Federation of America estimates rising total auto debt at a staggering $1.66 trillion, along with increasing repossessions and a sharp increase in delinquencies.

Beige Book: Regional market growth remains mostly flat
Economic growth in some US regions in September was offset by challenges in others, causing the market to appear largely unchanged overall, according to the Federal Reserve’s latest Beige Book report.

ISM September survey captures deepening manufacturing gloom
The Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) latest monthly report on manufacturing reflects a bleak view of American industry in September.

Key industries concerned over government shutdown’s impact on steel, manufacturing
Trade groups cautioned that a prolonged shutdown could strain US industry.

Chicago Business Barometer catches cold winds of contraction in September
The Chicago Business Barometer's September reading indicates a softening in overall business activity in the Midwest for the third consecutive month, with new orders and backlogs retreating further.