Intelligence

Economic Momentum Returns; Confidence in manufacturing tech investment; Tariff refunds vs. relief; and more.

After a significant pullback in economic output at the end of 2025, gross domestic product (GDP) rebounded nearly back to trend growth in the first quarter of 2026, according to the first estimate published today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

In what is likely Jerome Powell’s last meeting as chair of the Federal Reserve, the committee opted to leave the benchmark interest rates steady at a target range of 3.5% to 3.75% at their first meeting of 2026.

When is a wrong prediction not "wrong"? The accuracy of an outcome can overshadow the data, analysis, and process that informs a prediction. At MFG 2026, attendees explored why statistics don't mean much to the individual – but they should.

Sales success today demands influence, discipline, and smart use of AI. At AMT’s Distribution Summit, experts shared practical strategies to help manufacturing sales teams strengthen performance and drive results.

One of the most powerful tools available to modern machine tool distributors is data. Learning how to use and integrate data can help distributors boost their business, according to experts at AMT’s Distribution Summit.

U.S. industrial production decreased in March 2026 after a strong uptick in February, according to the latest report issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

How smaller IMTS exhibitors can maximize ROI; Our Spring Economic Update Webinar recap; and more.

Shipments of cutting tools, measured by the Cutting Tool Market Report, totaled $225.1 million in February 2026, increasing 2% from January 2026 and 12.8% from February 2025. Year-to-date shipments are up 11.3% from the same period in 2025.

New orders of metalworking machinery totaled $488.9 million in February 2026, increasing 10.7% over January 2026 and 27.4% over February 2025. The total order value through February 2026 has reached $930.5 million, 26% above the first two months of 2025.