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Originally Posted by Cynthetiq
That's pure speculation that they are upgrading and retooling. Are you basing that on any evidence such as stockholder reports?
Remember many companies in the US no longer manufacture on US soil so there is little to retool. If they are getting benefits for such streamlining, then reporting layoffs would not happen since they don't need to report laying off 100 Canadians or 100 Mexicans (I'm only using NAFTA for the moment, but that holds true for CAFTA and SE Asia manufacturing as well.)
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I'm not talking just about manufacturing, and there are still manufacturing companies in the U.S. I'm also talking about office systems and those companies in the U.S. which have core business in design, services, etc. The bulk of U.S. companies can benefit from investments in upgrading they way they do business. Whether this includes newer, faster computers, new procedures, new programs, consulting, etc.
There are a lot of companies sitting on a lot of cash. What do you think they're going to spend their money on first? New employees? Or investments that will let them do more with less? Or do more faster and better? What do you think company A will think about company B's new initiatives when they are direct competitors?
Durable goods purchases are up, including computers and communications and other electrical equipment. I'm not sure what the divide is like between consumer, industrial, and commercial uses, but it makes sense to assume that many of these purchases are to improve efficiency if not maintain it. I doubt this is all consumer spending.
Businesses seek to remain competitive even in tough times. Investments like these happen all the time at this point in the business cycle when interest rates are low and people aren't ready to hire. Companies are always seeking ways to do business at a lower cost. They've been thinking this way for a while now.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tully Mars
When it's down no one thinks it will go up and when it's up people never think it will crash.
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I think you mean "few," rather than "no one." I work with people who sell when people are buying like crazy and buy when people have liquidated their stocks. They know the market will plummet when it's up and they also know the markets always recover.