ITR Economics’ second quarter Market Outlook Report for the promotional products industry forecasts conservative growth for suppliers and distributors through the last half of 2016 that will ramp up significantly in 2017.
The economic research and consulting firm revised its supplier outlook downward from its last report due to weaker-than-expected second quarter results, and expects supplier growth of 0.6 percent over the last half of 2016. However, the report is optimistic about 2017, pointing to a rise in the U.S. Purchasing Managers Index, and forecasts growth of 6.7 percent for the year.
Among distributors, growth from March to June was the weakest in 10 years, which ITR attributed to volatility from commodity prices and financial markets, but the firm expects 6.6-percent growth through the last half of 2016. Improvements in the industrial sector will take hold by late 2016, which will help support an accelerating rise in sales in late 2016 through late 2018.
ITR offers economic information, insight, analysis and proactive strategies, and, in collaboration with PPAI, the company produces data for the promotional products industry to help members improve their businesses. Its quarterly market outlook reports for the promotional product industry contain industry indicators, market analysis, advertising industry forecasts and a promotional products industry forecast. The second quarter Market Outlook Report is available here.
In June 2015, ITR held a webinar to explain how to use the information within its reports. It also looked at the methodology and terminology of information included in the report, the phases of the business cycle, how to use the information in the planning process, and provided examples of how to use this type of information within a business. The webinar is available on demand here.
