American businesses are building up their product inventories – this might reduce
production in the fourth quarter and reduce GDP growth rate:
The WSJ is also reporting that:
“America’s busiest
ports are sending a warning about the U.S. economy.
For the first time
in at least a decade, imports fell in both September and October at each of the
three busiest U.S. seaports, according to data from trade researcher Zepol
Corp. analyzed by The Wall Street Journal. … The declines came
during a stretch from late summer to early fall known in the transportation
world as peak shipping season, when cargo volumes typically surge through U.S.
ports. It is a crucial few months for the U.S. economy as well: High import
volumes can signal a confident view on the economy among retailers and
manufacturers, while fears of a slowdown grow when ports are quiet.”