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U.S. Import and Export Prices Climb Higher in September
October 19, 2026U.S. import prices increased 1.1% in September, after rising 0.5% in August, driven by higher fuel and nonfuel import prices. Over the year, import prices jumped 8.1%, the largest annual gain since July 2022. Meanwhile, U.S. export prices rose 2.2% in September, led by higher prices for both agricultural and nonagricultural exports. Over the past…
Manufacturing Output Improves as Broader Industrial Production Rises
October 19, 2026Industrial production rose 0.7% in September, while manufacturing output stepped up 0.3% after ticking down 0.2% in August. At 98.4% of its 2017 average, manufacturing production increased 1.1% from September 2025. Capacity utilization for manufacturing was 75.9%, up 0.1 percentage point from August and 1.0% over the past year. Capacity utilization for manufacturing remained 2.3…
Producer Price Growth Accelerates as Gasoline Prices Drive Increase
October 19, 2026The Producer Price Index for final demand (also known as wholesale prices) rose 1.3% in September, up from the 0.5% advance in August. Over the year, producer prices increased 6.3%, up from the 5.6% gain in August. Meanwhile, prices for final demand excluding foods, energy and trade services climbed 5.0% from September 2025, up from…
Small Business Optimism Falls Below Long-Term Average
October 19, 2026The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index edged down 0.8 points to 97.9 in September, falling slightly below the 52-year average of 98. The decline was driven by worsening expectations for business conditions and fewer reports that it is a good time to expand. Of the 10 components in the index, three increased, six decreased and…
Manufacturing in New York Surges in October
October 19, 2026Manufacturing activity in New York state expanded at a faster pace in October, with the headline business conditions index surging 17.9 points to 25.5. The new orders index climbed 21.2 points to 23.2, while the shipments index turned positive, increasing 16.3 points to 13.1. The unfilled orders index rose 8.1 points to 14.0, while inventories…
IRI Podcast: What’s Happening with Patents and AI?
October 16, 2026Artificial intelligence is transforming nearly every industry and sector, and patent law is no exception. What’s going on: On a recent
