PCA forecasts moderate annual cement consumption and GDP growth

“Public construction continues to receive the benefit of the 2018 federal budget that allowed for US$20 billion in spending on roads, bridges, water, and rail projects over 2018 and 2019,” said Ed Sullivan, PCA Senior Vice President and Chief Economist. “These gains come in the context of increased challenges at the state level to manage deficits as entitlement spending growth continues at a strong pace.”

PCA’s analysis adds that the labour market continues to power the US economy and on a monthly basis has generated 161 000 net new jobs since the start of the year. Coupled with mild inflation rates and the continued rise of home prices, it will take some time before the economy takes a significant downturn.

“The economy is now the longest economic expansion post World War Two history,” said Sullivan. “Some of the pent-up demand zip that invigorates the initial stages of economic recovery are long past. As such, the economy is now more vulnerable to economic shocks. While PCA does not believe data revealed by the economy suggests a recession is near, it does point to a gradually weakening economy.”

PCA forecasts that real GDP will grow 2.4% this year and weaken in subsequent years to 2.1% in 2020 and 1.7% in 2021.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/the-americas/23102019/pca-forecasts-moderate-annual-cement-consumption-and-gdp-growth/