Mixed Economic Signals Continue Through Year’s End

Distributors’ 2023 budgets and forecasts are set, and we’ve reached that somewhat-awkward final two weeks of the year where executives would prefer to coast and give as many employees as much time off as possible to enjoy the holidays. Thus, it’s a good time to take a look at the state of economic conditions and what indicators are showing heading into the new year. We’ll start off with a look at the latest wholesale trade expectations by market sector, from the U.S. Census Bureau, compiled for MDM by economist Brian Lewandowski at the University of Colorado Boulder. Normally, I show the…