Today, the Federal Reserve announced that it would hold benchmark rates at a target range of 4.25% to 4.50% in a widely anticipated move. This is the first meeting where the Fed held rates steady since they began to cut rates in September 2024.
“Since the Fed began cutting rates in September, we have seen an uptick in orders for manufacturing technology,” said Christopher Chidzik, principal economist of AMT – The Association for Manufacturing Technology. “Unlike previous rate-hiking cycles, demand for manufacturing technology was overwhelmingly concentrated in the beginning, leading to a mid-expansion drop-off. The business conditions the Fed cited of strong labor markets and dwindling inflation are the opportune setting for a continued rebound of manufacturing technology orders in 2025.”
The next U.S. Manufacturing Technology Orders (USMTO) report published by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology with data on metalworking machinery orders through December 2024 will be published on Monday, February 10.
