Industrial Heating Equipment Assocation

IHEA Monthly Economic Report: The Power of Politics

The monthly Industrial Heating Equipment Association (IHEA) Executive Economic Summary released in October investigates the role politics takes in the economy. At this time of the year, thoughts turn to elections, with the economy discussed throughout the nation. What can politicians really do to change the course of the nation's economy? The IHEA report shares a hope for 2023 and some thoughts on what politicians could do to encourage this growth.

The nation's economy spreads over diverse sectors. It's difficult to point to one area to explain the cause of the recession. Some, like the aerospace and automotive, are seeing positive growth. Other areas, like electronics and machinery, are still in a downturn. The report states, "The expectation is that GDP will expand by a very anemic 0.3% in Q3 and this will be followed by another two quarters of GDP decline (0.5% in Q4 and another 0.5% in Q1 of 2023)." After this, if the estimates play out, 2023 will see the economy growing by the end of year. Forecasts suggest that Q2 of 2023 will see small, albeit positive, growth; while Q3 and Q4 suggest significant moves to the positive.

People are holding back on spending, wanting to save something for an uncertain future. They are thinking about their jobs and are concerned for household budgets. If they could be motivated to spend, that will help the economy with substantial growth in 2023. Politicians can do something about this, according to the report.

How can the political sector make an impact? "The most useful thing the politician could do now would be to reassure the population so that there would be the kind of spending that pulls an economy out of a downturn," explains the report. "There could be significant encouragement for the process of reshoring or attention paid to worker shortage or infrastructure development." According to the report this isn't happening. It doesn't seem like the politicians are interested in taking this approach.

Ann Goyer, Executive Director of IHEA
Anne Goyer, Executive Director of IHEA

Check out the full report to see specific index growth and analysis which is available to IHEA member companies. For membership information, and a full copy of the 11-page report, contact Anne Goyerexecutive director of the Industrial Heating Equipment Association (IHEA). Email Anne by clicking here.


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IHEA Monthly Economic Report: Economy Strong, Rising Prices Predicted

 

The monthly economic report published by the Industrial Heating Equipment Association (www.ihea.org) for its member companies reported that the economy is strong mostly due to tax cuts and deficit (debt) spending and warns of rising prices in the future.

Of the 11 indices that are watched and commented on each month, 5 of them are moving in a positive direction, lead by very strong positive numbers from both the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) as well as the Credit Managers Index (CMI). Six indices trending downward all moved only slightly downward, leaving economists to believe that the industrial sector may be treading water while the flood waters (literally and figuratively) recede and until the direction of the economy is more clear.

Of more immediate concern was the reason behind the strong economy. According to IHEA’s economist, the economy has responded positively primarily due to tax cuts and deficit spending. Both of these factors tend to result in future broad-based price increases.

The 11-page report has one overview page followed by 10 pages of deep-dive analysis, one page for each of the 11 indices watched.

 

 

To get a full copy of this monthly report, please contact Anne Goyer, Executive Director of the Industrial Heating Equipment Association (IHEA). Email Mrs. Goyer by clicking here.

Ann Goyer, Executive Director of IHEA
Anne Goyer, Executive Director of IHEA

 

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April IHEA Report: Good and Bad in the Numbers

Following several months of nothing but relatively good news, this month’s IHEA Executive Economic Summary Report shows some numbers dipping. As Chris Kuehl, the economist behind the report, states in his monthly in-depth analysis, “This month there is good news in bad data and some bad news in the good data. It is not always about whether an index is climbing this month or not. Sometimes it is the overall trend line and how it compares to what it might have been some months ago.”

Auto and light truck sales continue to be strong.
Auto and light truck sales continue to be strong.

Every month, Dr. Kuehl, through IHEA, provides not only raw data that is of specific interest to the heat treating industry, but he also provides insightful analysis of what the numbers mean and why readers should care.

Dr. Chris Kuehl, economic analyst for IHEA, prepares the monthly IHEA Economic Trends Index.

The April report showed an increase in roughly half of the index numbers, including a surprisingly strong automobile and light truck sales index which, according to Kuehl, “continues to shock analysts as there is an assumption that the market is already saturated. It seems not to be the case as the consumer still has a desire for new wheels and if the current hike in gas prices accelerates there may soon be a new desire for those fuel sippers.”

Steel consumption continues to be week.
Steel consumption continues to be weak.

Along with auto and truck sales, some of the other indices that also continued to climb were industrial capacity utilization, capital expenditures, and durable goods shipments.

Falling indices included the purchasing managers index, new home starts, and steel consumption.

Anne Goyer, Executive Director of IHEA
Anne Goyer, Executive Director of IHEA

For a look at the complete report, contact Anne Goyer, Executive Director of the Industrial Heating Equipment Association (IHEA).

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