Manufacturing — Inflation Reaccelerates to 3.3% as Energy Costs Surge; Semiconductor R&D Investment and Physical AI Testing Signal Manufacturing's Next Investment Cycle

Manufacturing · 2026-04-14

TODAY'S SIGNAL — Manufacturing leaders face a bifurcated landscape today. On the macro side, March CPI jumped to 3.3% year-over-year — the highest since April 2024 — driven by energy costs, while factory new orders flatlined for a second consecutive month despite shipments accelerating. This divergence between input cost pressures and tepid demand growth is a margin squeeze in the making.…