Here is a presentation that looks capital spending by business as well as discusses productivity.

1. Capital Spending – North
America
By: Paul Young, CPA, CGA
August 19, 2016

2. Disclaimer
• This presentation is on view of capital spending and productivity for
North America

3. Paul Young - Presenter
Bio
• CPA/CGA
• 25 years of experience in Academia, Industry and Financial solutions
• Youtube Channel -
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAArky1bAXPSuV2NLtUnyLg

4. Agenda
• Summary
• Durable Goods/USA
• Capital spending/Canada
• Productivity/USA
• Productivity/Canada
• Innovation Index – 2016 Ranking

5. The Bottom Line: U.S. factories, mines and utilities cranked up production in July, adding
backbone to the economy’s recent revival following a soggy first half of the year.
Industrial output jumped 0.7%, the most in 1½ years. While June’s pace was scaled back to a
0.4% advance, this marked the first back-to-back gains in a year. Manufacturing output rose
0.5%, the most in a year, following a 0.3% increase the prior month. The strength was broadly
based, with solid advances in consumer goods (autos, computers and other durable goods),
construction supplies and, notably, business equipment. The latter could signal a much
welcomed upturn in capex. More good news: the draught in oil drilling has abated, helping to
lift overall mining output 0.7% in the month (though it’s still down 10% y/y). Oil and gas well
drilling rose for a second month in a row following nine consecutive declines. Meantime, the
heat wave across much of the country had air conditioners running flat out, juicing utilities
demand for a second straight month.
The spurt in industrial output lifted the capacity utilization rate to a nine-month high of
75.9%. But that’s stillwell below inflation-threatening levels of above 80%. Hence, the still
subdued inflation picture. The IP report (a Fed favourite) will lift the odds of a September rate
hike, but not to above even.
• Source - BMO

8. Canada Capital Spending

9. Productivity / USA
• U.S. worker productivity fell for the third straight quarter in the spring this
year, suggesting that corporate profits may continue to decline and wage
growth may remain sluggish.
• The Labor Department said on Tuesday that productivity, which measures
hourly output per worker, dropped at a 0.5 percent annual rate in the April-
June period, extending the longest decline since 1979. Productivity fell at an
unrevised 0.6 percent rate in the first quarter.
• In the second quarter, productivity decreased at a 0.4 percent rate compared
to the same period last year, the fastest year-on-year pace of decline in three
years.
• Revisions to data going back to 2013 also confirmed the softening productivity
trend, but strong employment gains have helped to raise output overall with
U.S. payrolls growing by more than 500,000 jobs in June and July.

10. Productivity/Canada
Source: http://www.conferenceboard.ca/press/speech_oped/16-07-
27/weak_firms_are_holding_back_canada_s_overall_productivity.aspx

11. Innovation