The Financial Futurist Newsletter — Issue #10

This Weekly LinkedIn newsletter from Jason Schenker includes original research from The Futurist Institute and Prestige Economics to help leaders prepare for the future — this week and beyond!

1. The Future of Manufacturing, the Economy, and Commodity Prices

Strong manufacturing data are fundamentally supportive of the economy.

They are also supportive of industrial metals prices and other industrial commodities markets. Data from March 2021 showed global manufacturing was exceptionally strong and can be seen in the graph below. But what will April show?

This week, April Manufacturing Purchasing Manager Indices — or PMIs — will be released for the Eurozone, China, and the United States. The most important manufacturing index out of the U.S. is the ISM Manufacturing Index. The index has a breakeven of 50 and has recently been exceptionally strong.

To learn more about the U.S. ISM Manufacturing PMI, check out this LinkedIn Learning video:

2. The Future of Services and the Economy

Another critical data release this week for the economy will be the ISM Non-Manufacturing Index, which reflects the health of the U.S. service sector. Unlike manufacturing, which has seen a massive boom during the COVID recession, services have been under tremendous pressure.

The ISM Non-Manufacturing Index not only leads economic growth but also impacts financial markets. The index has a breakeven of 50 and has recently been exceptionally strong.

To learn more about the ISM Non-Manufacturing Index, check out this LinkedIn Learning video:

3. The Future of Jobs

Jobs will be in sharp focus this week as monthly data from April are released on Friday.

It's part of the BLS Employment Situation report, which includes the unemployment rate and non-farm payrolls.

This report is what analysts, investors, politicians, and commentators call the Monthly Jobs Report, and it is considered the most important economic release of the month.

To learn more about the Monthly Jobs Report, check out this LinkedIn Learning video:

4. The Future of Leadership and Work

Leaders also need to know about the job market — but not in the same way as workers.

To learn more about Jobs Economics for Business Leaders, check out this LinkedIn Learning video:

5. The Future of Data

Jobs of the future will increasingly be data jobs — especially in the wake of COVID-19.

For leaders, this means being able to evaluate teams working with data.

To learn more about Evaluating Teams Working with Data, check out this LinkedIn Learning video:

6. The Future of Construction

This week, economic releases also include construction spending data for the month of March. Housing has been strong, but construction data includes more than just residential new homes.

To learn more about Construction Spending, check out this LinkedIn Learning video:

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Jason Schenker

Chairman of The Futurist Institute and President of Prestige Economics.