U.S. Factories Keep Running As Orders Fade, Setting Up A 2026 Test

Key Points U.S. manufacturing stayed in expansion in December, but momentum slowed and new orders fell for the first time in a year. Output rose even as demand weakened, creating the widest production-versus-orders gap since 2008–2009. Hiring improved and price pressures eased slightly, yet tariff-linked costs kept nudging prices higher. The latest snapshot of U.S. […]