2007

The U.S. manufacturing sector will face turbulent times next year due in large part to the continuing housing collapse.&nbsp ; As a result, the economic landscape will remain highly volatile in 2008 before rebounding in 2009, according to the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI Quarterly Industrial Outlook, a report that analyzes 27 major industries.
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Housing starts were down 24 percent in the third quarter of 2007.&nbsp ; They are expected to fall another 28 percent in 2008, according to Daniel J. Meckstroth, chief economist for the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI, and author of the analysis.&nbsp ; The good news is that the trend is likely to reverse itself in 2009, when housing starts are expected to see 34 percent growth to 1.3 million units.
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On an annual basis, MAPI …

Industrial production increased 0.3&nbsp ; percent in November; the change in production over the previous three months was revised down, on net, an average of 0.1 percentage point per month.
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At 113.9 percent of its 2002 average, total industrial production in November was 2.1 percent above its year-earlier level.
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Output in the manufacturing sector increased 0.4&nbsp ; percent in November. The output of utilities dropped 1.3&nbsp ; percent because of a decline in electric utilities; the output at mines increased 1.1&nbsp ; percent.
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Capacity utilization for total industry edged up, to 81.5 percent, a rate slightly above its year-earlier level and 0.5 percentage point above its average.
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Source: Statistics Canada

Manufacturing sales edged up&nbsp ; 0.1% in October, basically holding steady after decreasing in five of the six previous months. Sales of manufactured goods increased&nbsp ; $38&nbsp ; million, reaching&nbsp ; $50.2&nbsp ; billion from&nbsp ; $50.1&nbsp ; billion in September.

Using constant dollars, which take price fluctuations into account, the volume of sales increased&nbsp ; 1.1% to&nbsp ; $50.1&nbsp ; billion in October. The Industrial Product Price Index, which is a major component in calculating the constant dollar value, dropped&nbsp ; 1.1% in October. Despite difficulties for manufacturers presented by the strengthening exchange rate, constant dollar sales were&nbsp ; 3.2% higher …

Wholesale prices rose 3.2 percent in November, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported. The gain followed increases of 0.1 percent in October and 1.1 percent in September.
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At the earlier stages of processing, prices for intermediate goods moved up 3.7 percent after rising 0.1 percent in the prior month, while the crude goods index increased 8.7 percent following a 2.4-percent advance in October.
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The acceleration in the finished goods index was led by prices for energy goods, which surged 14.1 percent in November following a 0.8-percent decrease in October. Prices for finished goods excluding foods and energy, or core inflation, rose 0.4 percent after no change in the preceding month. By contrast, prices for finished …