Numbers that Matter

Bill Wood: "We might be inclined to think of a soft landing as something trained pilots master and execute thousands of times a day without incident, but I cannot totally rule out the possibility that a better comparison might be ... Apollo 13."

Economics Editor Bill Wood discusses the latest GDP numbers, which suggest a soft landing and a better outlook for the fourth quarter. Bill focuses on solid employment numbers and a surprising increase in nonfarm labor productivity. An interesting spike given the ongoing conversations about artificial intelligence in the workplace.

To get a true take on how plastics companies are doing, industry watchers need to do more than compare the current fiscal quarter reports to the same period a year ago. They also need to adjust the numbers for inflation

Corporate profits for manufacturing firms are showing some steady trends, particularly for computer parts, but non-durable goods aren't doing as well after 2022's "banner" year. Economics Editor Bill Wood looks at those profit numbers to scope out trends in plastics manufacturing and what's likely to come. 

Bill Wood: Economic conditions will remain challenging for eurozone manufacturers in the near term. Growth will be stagnant at best.

U.S. plastics manufacturing is in a slump but will see growth in the long term because plastics will be necessary to achieve a more sustainable future, according to Bill Wood, economics editor at Plastics News.

The threat of another interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve is making waves again, but Economics Editor Bill Wood says "not so fast" — the data tells another story. Prices for goods are holding mostly steady, but prices for services continue to climb. 

Fortune magazine honored by Dow and Eastman in its 2023 Change the World list, a move even it noted asks the question: "How did two plastic producers make the list?"

Economics Editor Bill Wood looks at current economic data, consumer trends and public policy moves affecting the plastics industry and its role in a sustainable and circular future in this first in a series of short videos about Numbers That Matter.