The Federal Reserve’s March 2024 projection continues to expect the federal funds rate will be lowered to 4.6% (median forecast) this year, implying multiple rate cuts from current levels , and keeping with projections made in December of last year. “If they stick to the forecast and reduce rates this year, that’s going to impact…
Real (adjusted for inflation) U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) numbers were released for the third quarter (Q3) and are higher than expected. Does this mean that the economic outlook is bright for the recycled materials industry? Too early to tell? Well, it depends where you find yourself standing in the economy. According to the advanced…
Data for the first half of 2023 has been released and the recycled materials industry has been hit hard. Overall, the U.S. goods and services trade deficit decreased by $117.7 billion, or 22.3%, as compared to the same period in 2022. Exports year to date (YTD) increased $37.6 billion or 2.5%. Imports decreased $80.1 billion…
ISRI Senior Economist Bret Biggers presented two sessions on the topics of ISRI’s Specifications and Materials Characterization and Legislation and Regulation Driving Sustainability at Western Michigan University’s (WMU) Annual Fiber Course. The nationally-recognized WMU Fiber Course brings together major consumer brands, packaging companies, paper mills, and other industry firms such as Mars, Inc., Amazon, WestRock,…
Several broad economic indicators are pointing to headwinds for recyclers. “New data underscore that changing market demands are rippling through the economy and could impact recyclers,” said Joe Pickard, ISRI’s chief economist. For example, the Census Bureau recently reported that new orders for U.S. manufactured durable goods declined 4.5% month-on-month in January to $272.3 billion….
As Joe Pickard, ISRI’s chief economist and director of commodities, will tell you, recyclers can be impacted by rising rates through a number of channels including: higher costs of doing business and securing capital; higher mortgage, auto, and other borrowing rates that can weigh on consumer purchasing (the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage…
[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]“This is one of the talks where I don’t need to explain what hedging is,” says Spencer O. Johnson, Head of Ferrous…
[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]The unemployment situation in November 2021 reflects an ongoing and uneven recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. economy added 210,000 nonfarm…
[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]ISRI’s 2021 Summer Board of Directors and Committee Meetings began Tuesday, July 13, and ended Friday, July 16. Here are some highlights from the Ferrous…
[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]ISRI’s 2021 Summer Board of Directors and Committee Meetings began Tuesday, July 13, and ended Friday, July 16. Here are some highlights from the Paper…
[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]ISRI’s 2021 Summer Board of Directors and Committee Meetings began Tuesday, July 13, and ended Friday, July 16. Here are some highlights from the Trade…
[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” column_direction=”default” column_direction_tablet=”default” column_direction_phone=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” row_border_radius=”none” row_border_radius_applies=”bg” overlay_strength=”0.3″ gradient_direction=”left_to_right” shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_tablet=”inherit” column_padding_phone=”inherit” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” column_link_target=”_self” gradient_direction=”left_to_right” overlay_strength=”0.3″ width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column_text]Indonesia will allow the importation of recycled materials with up to 2% impurities, the government informed the U.S. embassy in Jakarta July…