Original Air Date: Tuesday, July 11, 2023
Time: On-Demand
Duration: 1 Hour
Already Registered? Click here to sign in.
Summary
Our annual look at the state of the American chemical industry, which was the lead story in January, not only included an economic forecast but also delved into how key factors -- including inflation, the war in Ukraine and rising energy prices -- will affect the sector both this year and beyond. This webinar provides a midyear update on how prospects look.
Moving into the end of Q2, the U.S. economy looks either resilient or weak, depending on where you’re standing. The services sector of the economy continues to expand, but manufacturing has been weaker.
The strong pandemic-driven rebound in goods spending has subsided as consumers have turned their attention (and wallets) to travel, eating out, and other services. Fueled by excess savings that accumulated during the pandemic, consumers have been able to continue spending and bear higher prices, driving inflation. While inflation has improved from the peak reached in mid-2022, it remains stubbornly high despite aggressive Fed action to raise interest rates. Recent banking turmoil and tightening lending standards are also curbing economic activity.
Speakers
Martha Moore | Chief Economist and Managing Director for Economics | American Chemistry Council
Martha Gilchrist Moore is the Chief Economist and Managing Director for Economics and Statistics at the American Chemistry Council. Martha analyzes the impact of various policy initiatives and energy trends on the chemical industry. In addition, she produces forecasts for the economy and chemical industry. She also directs the Council’s research on the direct and indirect economic contributions of the business of chemistry and the benefits to consumers. Martha has worked on chemical industry issues for more than 25 years and is an authority on the market dynamics for the chemical industry and its end-use customer industries. Martha holds a master’s degree in economics from Indiana University and is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a member of theNational Association for Business Economics and the US Association for Energy Economics(USAEE) and serves on the board of the National Capital Area Chapter of USAEE.
Event Moderator: Traci Purdum | Editor-in-Chief | Chemical Processing
Traci Purdum, an award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering manufacturing and management issues, is a graduate of the Kent State University School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Kent, Ohio, and an alumnus of the Wharton Seminar for Business Journalists, Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Purdum, who has been with Chemical Processing since 2008, serves as moderator to the brand’s many webinars and roundtables. She also hosts the podcast Process Safety With Trish & Traci.
Sign-up for all the webinars in the 2023 Chemical Processing Best Practice Series