Barometers of consumer activity such as credit card use and auto loans are showing a rise in late payments and charge-offs, yet consumer spending remains brisk, and leading banks have not raised concerns about the situation. The dichotomy poses a challenge for industry analysts trying to accurately assess consumer health.

Motion & Control Enterprises is acquiring Asheboro, N.C.-based Piedmont Electric Motor Repair as part of its ongoing expansion plans. The addition of Piedmont, which supplies industrial products and services ranging from electric motors and cranes to material handling and machinery services, aligns with MCE's strategy to be a full-lifecycle provider of highly engineered products and services. "Maintenance and repair capabilities are critically important for today's customers," said MCE Chairman and CEO Charley Hale.

The Conference Board's US leading indicators gauge fell 0.1% in December, marking its 21st consecutive decline and pointing to sustained ongoing weakness in the US economy. Despite the fall, economists remain unclear on the precise outlook as the economy continues to show resilience in some areas. "Overall, we expect GDP growth to turn negative in [the second and third quarters] of 2024 but begin to recover late in the year,'" said The Conference Board's Justyna Zabinska-La Monica.

Determining whether a warehouse should invest in automation requires an analysis of existing technologies and processes for vulnerabilities and weaknesses, expected product volume growth and the availability and cost of labor, writes Federica Stufano, senior principal analyst for Gartner Supply Chain Practice. Additional factors to consider include accuracy and service levels, health and safety challenges and when organizations can expect a return on investment, Stufano writes.

The number of ships traversing the drought-stricken Panama Canal in December dropped 4.7% from November, a marked slowdown from the 21.9% decrease in October, which was helped by increased rainfall and more reservation slots, says the Panama Canal Authority. Reservations have increased this month amid improved conditions, but the number remains 33% below the usual 36 daily transits.

Video will be one key trend for business-to-business marketers this year, particularly livestreaming and the use of the format to gather customer feedback, writes Alchemer's Jeannie Zaemes. Generative AI will also dominate this year, Zaemes writes, advising marketers to be cautious about using AI chatbots without human oversight.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed past 38,000 for the first time after a 0.4% gain Monday. Tech giants helped push the Dow in recent weeks and shares in Goldman Sachs have also been a big contributor. The S&P 500 closed at a record high for the second time in a row Monday, also buoyed by tech stocks.

Despite positive economic signs, companies across industries are still turning to workforce reductions to protect their bottom line. How companies conduct layoffs can have massive implications for the remaining workforce, impacting employee morale and trust in management and possibly leading top employees to seek work elsewhere. Experts discuss the drawbacks of various approaches and explore potential alternatives to layoffs, such as attrition, voluntary buyouts and hiring freezes.

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