It just might be time to book that vacation in Paris you've been thinking about. That is one practical conclusion to draw from a remarkable set of shifts in global currencies that started in the second half of last year and has continued in the early trading days of 2015. The seemingly inexorable rise of the dollar versus the euro and most other currencies has broad implications for the global economy this year and beyond.
An estimated 208,000 new non-farm jobs were added to U.S. payrolls in April, according to D&B's May U.S Economic Health Tracker. This report provides a monthly, multidimensional perspective on the U.S. economy, including small business health, total job growth, and overall U.S. business health.
D&B announced the launch of its monthly U.S Economic Health Tracker, which provides a multidimensional perspective on the U.S. economy, with insights across key sectors of the U.S. economy, including small business health, total job growth, and overall U.S. business health.
Why the pessimism about the economy? Last Monday, we learned that U.S. factories are expanding at their fastest pace in more than two years, capping the manufacturing industry's best six-month period since the recession ended in June 2009.
Some of the biggest gains in U.S. exports due to a widening U.S. production-cost advantage over leading Western European nations and Japan are likely to be seen in chemicals, machinery, and transportation equipment, according to a report by The Boston Consulting Group.
U.S. vessel imports have declined almost 3 percent from May to June. Imports are also 1.6 percent below TEUs (twenty foot containers) seen in June of 2012. This year, U.S. ocean imports had a steady increase of 1 percent compared to the volume seen in 2012, but with the low June numbers that percentage has changed. Zepol has found that in the first six months of this year, compared to January through June of 2012, import volume is virtually stagnant. In fact, 2013 is down 0.3 percent, if you want to be picky.
In a move that could have broad appeal for U.S. retailers, the Canadian government will no longer impose tariffs on imported baby clothes and selected sports equipment.
Easy access to multiple modes of transportation is a big boon to any business involved in shipping products to a wide array of destinations. For companies that supply parts needed in manufacturing operations, intermodal access has become essential as more manufacturers adopt just-in-time and similar supply chain management strategies. Cities throughout the United States have done what they can to respond to the needs of shippers.
Former President Bill Clinton, arguing for establishing a national infrastructure bank, says such a facility would create jobs in a wide array of industries.