We break down the latest key figures out of the Census Bureau’s October report that was delayed by the government shutdown.
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The annual sales growth rate of HARDI distributors remained near 4% during 2025, after price increases.
It marked the 10th straight month that the PMI has been in contraction, and the weakeast reading since October 2024.
A lack of megaprojects normalized activity, though broader starts showed steady year-over-year gains.
A monthly rebound in mining output powered the better-than-expected overall figure.
A long-delayed Commerce Department report showed that strong consumer spending powered acceleration in the July-September quarter.
Surveyed metalforming manufacturers indicated month-to-month improvement in their December outlook for near-term business conditions and incoming orders.
However, the improvement is credited to several one-time factors rather than a sign of underlying demand momentum.
However, economists flagged that a technical fix used to combat data collection during the government shutdown may have skewed the top-line figure.
U.S. manufacturing leaders are cautiously optimistic about 2026, according to ISM, projecting higher revenues across most industries, rising investment and improved operating conditions as growth accelerates into the back half of the year. Here's our breakdown of ISM's latest supply chain demand outlook.
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The long-delayed government figures showed that unemployment continued to rise despite broader job gains. See the key figures here for both overall unemployment and how wholesale trade fared in October and November.
Wholesale durable goods sales were up double digits YoY and net profits actually improved modestly, but operating income fell by low-single digits.
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New research highlights how quickly automation is moving from pilot projects to mainstream strategy across US industrial companies. With nearly all firms planning new automation investments — and robotics adoption poised to accelerate — the findings point to a strengthening market for physical automation products, creating fresh opportunities for electrical, motion control and industrial supplies distributors.
Though up year-over-year, September wholesale durable goods sales saw a considerable monthly decline. We break down the Census Bureau's latest monthly Wholesale Trade Report here.
Three dissents underscored a shift toward less appetite for future cuts in 2026.
GEP’s newest volatility index shows spare capacity widening across global supply chains — with North America seeing the steepest pullback. Manufacturers are delaying orders ahead of a key tariff ruling, reinforcing a buyer’s market heading into 2026. Here's a breakdown of the data and analysis of what it means for distributors.
For the third month in 2025, new metalworking machinery orders surpassed $500 million.
Distributor inventories remain elevated after flattish demand this year.
