Economics & Business

As Japanese multifunction printer OEMs brace for mid-July tariffs, many manufacturing operations are relocated in Southeast Asia.

Amid Japan’s growing labor shortage, an AI-powered app is helping to boost employee engagement, reduce turnover among young or high-performing staff, and rapidly integrate mid-career hires.

Why it is doubtful that 2025’s consumption slowdown signals a serious downshift of economics activity, plus a tariff update. Author’s note: Consumer confidence surveys do not have an especially good record when it comes to predicting what consumers will actually do.

From cutting-edge AI development to workforce training, Ricoh is pioneering the future of digital services.

Early 2025 inflation data have reinforced the theme that getting back to 2% inflation will take longer than generally anticipated. Henry Willmore examines the recent data and why it will be the second half of the year before the FOMC feels confident enough to resume cutting interest rates.

Japanese manufacturer Otsuka Corp. achieves annual sales of $6.6 billion (USD) with its Total Office Solution vision.

Key data for the fourth quarter show 2024 finishing on a healthy note, however, tariffs against Canada, Mexico, and China can potentially throw the economy off course.

At its meeting in mid-December, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the Federal Reserve’s policy-making committee, made some notable changes to its economic forecast for 2025 and adjusted its guidance for the path of interest rates.

The inflation-linked bond market has been pricing in an increasing likelihood of higher inflation during the past few months.

The economy is heading into the final two months of 2024 in very good shape. This has manifested in solid GDP growth, low unemployment, and moderate inflation. However, the current situation is not without risk.

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) cut rates by 50 basis points in September and signaled that it was expecting to cut the fed funds rate an additional 50 basis points in the fourth quarter and 100 basis points in both 2025 and 2026.

Fiscal policy will also likely see significant adjustments in the coming year, the nature of which will depend upon the outcome of the election.

Another round of better-than-expected inflation data over the course of July has pushed the Federal Reserve to signal that it will cut the Fed funds rate at its next policy-making meeting on September 18.

Unexpectedly high inflation readings during the first three months of this year threw a wrench into the Federal Reserve’s plans to ease monetary policy. The data from April and May have been much more favorable. They have provided reassurance that inflation is indeed on a downward trajectory.

Investors, both domestic and international, have been extremely bullish on America so far this century. More recently, they have been bullish about a small number of companies that happen to be domiciled in one country.

The inflation data during the second half of last year were in various ways too good to be true. The unsustainably good inflation news during the second half led to excessive optimism in the markets…

One of the themes that emerged in the first half of last year about the Fed Funds Rate was the expectation that inflation and interest rates would persist at higher levels than anticipated.

In addition to being a source of growth, technological change is often a source of uncertainty and financial market instability. 

In light of increasingly favorable economic data, it may seem strange to ask what could go wrong. As recent years—and history going much further back—have shown many things could go wrong.

Usually, tightening of monetary policy of the magnitude seen in the past two years results in a substantial correction in asset prices. Some ups and downs notwithstanding, this has not happened in this cycle.

Inflation has slowed considerably this year but remains significantly above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Nevertheless, the Fed appears to be ready to declare victory.

GDP (Gross Domestic Product) grew a robust 4.9% in the third quarter of 2023. This included a 4.0% increase in real consumer spending and a 3.9% gain in residential investment, the first increase since the first quarter of 2021. 

You never know what the future will bring and succession planning that focuses on objectives and financials will help ensure an orderly replacement or exit strategy.

One of the more remarkable sources of growth in the past two years has been investment in new manufacturing capacity. Construction spending on factories and other manufacturing facilities has more than doubled since the end of 2021.

The delicate task being pursued by the Federal Reserve for the past two years has been to tighten monetary policy enough to bring the labor market back into balance and inflation under control without tipping the economy over into a recession.