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Puede cancelar su suscripción a estas actualizaciones en cualquier momento. Argus gestiona la información personal de acuerdo con nuestra Política de privacidad.US automaker General Motors (GM) currently has one plant down, which it expects to bring back online next week.
The Bowling Green, Kentucky, Corvette plant is shut down the week of 25 April because of non-semiconductor-related parts shortages, a company spokesman said. It is expected to come back online on 2 May.
Earlier in April GM had to close its Ft Wayne, Indiana, full-size truck plant for two weeks because of chip shortages.
Mexico City, 30 January (Argus) — Mexico's economy expanded by 1.6pc in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, led by solid expansion in the agriculture sector and more modest growth in the industrial and services sectors. Gross domestic product (GDP) rebounded from the 0.1pc contractions in the second quarter and third quarters — the first quarterly contractions since the first quarter of 2021, and came in above estimates to raise full-year 2025 GDP growth to 0.5pc, according to preliminary estimates that statistics agency Inegi reported Friday. This follows 1.4pc growth in 2024 and marks a fourth year of slowing annual GDP growth. The quarterly expansion surpassed the 1.3pc consensus estimate provided by Mexican bank Banorte as well as the bank's own 1.5pc forecast. Looking at growth in the three basic components of GDP, the primary sector, which includes agriculture, fishing, mining and hydrocarbon extraction, expanded by 5.3pc in the fourth quarter, despite crop damage from widespread flooding in October, following 3.7pc growth in the third quarter. The services sector expanded 0.4pc, partially reversing the 2.7pc contraction recorded in the third quarter. The industrial sector, which includes manufacturing, construction and mining, posted a 2pc expansion — the strongest result since fourth quarter 2023. Banorte noted the expansion in the industrial sector is most likely linked to new building construction and possibly the ramp-up of public infrastructure works. Manufacturing support in the industry sector "appears to have been favorable" though mixed by segment, even as the automotive sector "seems to have improved after declining in previous quarters." "Finally, mining also appears to have rebounded, although with a more limited performance at the margin," said Banorte . Gabriela Siller, chief economist at Banco Base, noted that while Mexico escaped a technical recession in 2025 "economic stagnation is evident," noting that GDP growth has averaged only 0.85pc in the last seven years that the populist-progressive Morena party has held control of congress and the presidency. Stronger 2026 in sight Banorte, however, said "the notable acceleration" at the end of 2025 translates to a stronger carry-over of economic momentum into 2026. "This, coupled with various domestic catalysts, our view of lower trade uncertainty, and of resilience in US activity, support our forecast of 1.8pc GDP growth [in 2026]," the bank said Friday. The catalysts include Mexico's hosting of multiple World Cup matches — drawing an expected 5mn additional tourists this year, as well as an acceleration in public spending, as Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum advances her economic agenda, "Plan Mexico." By James Young Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Houston, 30 January (Argus) — US president Donald Trump said he would name former Fed governor Kevin Warsh to replace Jerome Powell as chairman of the Federal Reserve. "I have known Kevin for a long period of time and have no doubt that he will go down as one of the GREAT Fed chairman, maybe the best," Trump said on social media early Friday. "On top of everything else, he is ‘central casting,' and he will never let you down." Warsh, a graduate of Harvard Law School and a former Morgan Stanley director, became the youngest Fed governor at 35 in 2006, serving through the financial crisis until 2011. After serving at the Fed, he joined the Hoover Institute as a senior fellow. If confirmed by the Senate, he would replace Powell, whose term ends in May. Trump has repeatedly derided Powell as a "numbskull" for allegedly being too slow to cut interest rates. The Fed this week kept its target rate unchanged after making three quarter-point rate cuts late last year. By Bob Willis Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Houston, 29 January (Argus) — The US trade deficit nearly doubled in November from the prior month, reflecting monthly volatility in reaction to US president Donald Trump's administration's on-again, off-again tariff policies. The seasonally adjusted deficit in goods and services nearly doubled to $56.8bn in November from a revised $29.2bn in October, which was the narrowest since 2009, the US Commerce Department reported Thursday. Trump has used tariffs as a cudgel to extract concessions from traditional allies and adversaries alike, both on the trade front as well as diplomatically. But generally, his initial volleys of tariff threats have been rolled back, or sharply reduced, with Trump declaring victory. While he argues that historical US trade deficits are proof the US is being "ripped off" and he aims to bring that to an end, in the first 11 months of last year the trade deficit widened from a year earlier. In January-November, the deficit widened to $839bn from $806bn in the same period of 2024. The goods deficit widened to $1.15 trillion in the first 11 months of the year from $1.09 trillion a year earlier while the services surplus edged up to $309bn. The widening deficit came even as the US dollar weakened by about 9pc against six peer currencies between 1 January and 30 November 2025, which would tend to make US goods cheaper for foreign buyers. Goods and services Exports of goods and services in November fell to $292bn, down by 3.6pc from October, and imports climbed by 5pc to $349bn. The goods deficit in November widened on the month by $27.9bn to $86.9bn while the services surplus increased by $0.3bn to $30.1bn. Exports of goods decreased on the month by $11.1bn to $185.6bn in November. Exports of industrial supplies and materials fell by $6.1bn, with shipments of non-monetary gold down by $4.2bn and exports of crude down by $1.4 bn on the month. Exports of consumer goods fell by $3.1bn, with pharmaceutical preparations down by $2.9bn. Other goods exports fell by $1.3bn. Imports of consumer goods rose by $9.2bn, with pharmaceutical preparations up by $6.7bn on the month. Capital goods imports rose by $7.4bn, with computers accounting for $6.6bn of the gain. Industrial supplies and materials imports fell by $2.4bn. Exports of services in November increased from the previous month by $0.2bn to $106.4bn, while imports of services ticked down by $0.1bn to $76.3bn. The deficit in energy products widened to $87bn in November from $59bn the prior month, with exports falling to $186bn from $197bn the prior month and imports rising to $273bn from $256bn. Petroleum exports were little changed at $21bn while petroleum imports ticked lower to $14.6bn. Goods by country The US deficit in goods with the EU widened to a seasonally adjusted $14.5bn in November from $6.3bn in October. The goods deficit with Germany widened to $7.4bn while the deficit with France more than doubled to $3.6bn. The US deficit in goods with Mexico narrowed to $17.8bn in November and the deficit with Canada widened to $3.5bn. Both are in the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement. The deficit with China widened to $14.7bn in November from $13.7bn the prior month. Deficits with Japan and South Korea widened to $4.7bn and $3.7bn, respectively. The deficits with Taiwan edged lower to $15.5bn while the deficit with Vietnam widened to $16.2bn. The deficit with India widened to $4.4bn from the prior month. The goods deficit with Malaysia widened to $3bn. The goods surplus with Brazil narrowed to $2.1bn in November while the surplus with Hong Kong narrowed to $2.2bn. The surplus with the UK slid by about a third to $4.2bn, while the surplus with the Netherlands widened to $5.6bn and the surplus with Switzerland widened to $7.8bn. By Bob Willis Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Sao Paulo, 29 January (Argus) — Dutch miner AMG Critical Materials is exploring investment opportunities for lithium processing facilities in both Brazil and Portugal in a push to establish a "fully Western" supply chain. AMG is one of the few companies in the western hemisphere with lithium refining capacity, running a hydroxide refinery in Germany fed by spodumene from its Brazilian mine, board member Michael Connor told Argus . Still, the concentrate must be sent to China for processing, where its purity is enhanced to around 100pc from 6pc — then back to Germany for refining. The Dutch firm said it wants to reduce its reliance on China, which dominates the global spodumene midstream, by building lithium processing capacity in Brazil and Portugal. AMG is the second-largest spodumene producer in Brazil and the top shareholder in Savannah Resources, which is developing the Barroso project in Portugal, slated to be Europe's largest lithium mine with over 39mn metric tonnes (t) of reserves. Processing lithium nearer to its extraction sites would cut costs by avoiding back-and-forth shipments to China. The company's objective is to continue building — in phases — an integrated upstream supply chain in Brazil to support its refining activities in Europe, Connor said. Brazilian authorities, including President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and critical minerals association AMC , have repeatedly called for companies to integrate critical minerals supply chains by investing in midstream processing capacity in Brazil. Such incentives, added to Brazil's legal stability, make it an attractive country for critical minerals, Connor noted. "The strength of the resource base, existing industrial capabilities, and an increasing policy focus on value-added processing all support the case for longer-term investment," he said. As for Portugal, it offers close proximity to AMG's German refinery, helping streamline logistics and lower costs. The Barroso project is scheduled to come on line in 2028. AMG is still assessing timelines, configurations and sequencing, so it is still unclear whether a midstream plant will come first in Europe or Brazil and what its nameplate capacities will be. Its German refinery is expected to complete its ramp-up and reach its 20,000 t/yr nameplate lithium hydroxide capacity by the end of this year. By Pedro Consoli Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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