"Slightly lower rate of incoming orders may be seasonal or a sign of a general slowdown. Monitoring closely." (Fabricated Metal Products)
"Incoming sales seem to be slowing down, and this is usually our busiest season. Concerns about the economy and tariffs." (Furniture & Related Products)
"Business is starting to show signs of a broad slowdown." (Machinery)
"The market for large building structures is slowing." (Nonmetallic Mineral Products)
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Is the economy strong, or is it vulnerable to new geopolitical shocks?
Here's how to analyze exactly where the economy stands at any time 🧵
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With endless economic news, it's challenging to grasp the economy's current standing accurately.
A structured process is crucial for filtering data to inform business and investment decisions.
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At EPB Research, we utilize a “Four Economy Framework” to understand exactly where the economy stands today and where it is heading tomorrow by categorizing and sequencing incoming economic data into four buckets based on the order in which they move in the business cycle.
National data shows a housing market in perfect balance, but extreme regional differences exist.
Some states have low inventory and continue to show strong pricing.
11 states have high inventory and major price pressure.
Here's the breakdown of the US housing market 🧵
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Inventory in the new construction market is at the highest level since the 2008 housing crisis, and this is leading to a massive divide in the housing market.
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Whenever analyzing the housing market, it’s important to look at what’s going on in the existing housing market as well as the new construction market.
New residential building permits is one of the best leading indicators of recessions.
Here's how you can easily make it even better.
(And what it's saying now)...
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Building permits are a great leading indicator because they are an early step in the residential construction process.
We know that residential construction is a critical part of the business cycle, so getting an early lead on this is important.
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Big declines in building permits lead recessions because it anticipates declines in construction activity and therefore, residential construction related employment.
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But here's the economic reality of how tariffs impact the economy and why they should be used carefully...🧵
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The arguments or the stated goals of tariff policy are clear – protecting current American jobs from unfair foreign competition, reshoring manufacturing plants and high-paying jobs, and closing large trade deficits.
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However, the economic reality of tariffs is unlikely to achieve these goals for the following reasons.
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