Numbers that Matter Live

PN Economics Editor Bill Wood is cautiously optimistic about the outlook for the U.S. plastics industry following the Fed's half-point interest rate cut last week.

U.S. employment data — including recent revisions — point to a soft landing for the U.S. economy, according to PN Economics Editor Bill Wood.

Poor housing start data and high federal budget deficits are two of the data sets that have PN Economics Editor Bill Wood concerned about the outlook for the rest of 2024.

The Fed is still trying to get inflation under control, and interest rates may remain high for the next year. In the June Numbers that Matter editorial livestream, Bill Wood talked about the impact that’s having on plastics end markets. 

Economics Editor Bill Wood has his latest take on the U.S. economy as we reach the halfway point of 2024. Data points to very little change or improvements while showing no signs yet of the expected "soft landing."

Consumer spending is up, with more emphasis on services than goods. Higher interest rates corresponded with lower plastics manufacturing output, but it's unlikely the Fed will consider a lower rate while GDP decelerated. What does this mean for the plastics industry? Economics Editor Bill Wood has an idea of what could happen next.