Survey: Concerns Over Workforce, Trade Affect Manufacturers’ Optimism

Nationwide, manufacturers were feeling more cautious about their economic prospects in the second quarter, according to the NAM’s latest Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey. While 79.8% of American manufacturers rated their outlook as positive, that was a drop from 89.5% in the first quarter of 2019. When analyzing specific issues, 68.8% of respondents said workforce was their top concern. On trade, 56.0% reported uncertainty due to the USMCA, U.S.-China trade disputes, the threat of Section 232 auto tariffs, and the tariffs on Mexico, which has since been resolved. 6/25/2019