Here comes the Dallas Fed ...
Economists forecast that the index of activity will be negative, at -3. That would be an improvement from the reading of -6.2 reported in August. The index was last positive in December 2014.
Last month, ssomeone in the fabricated-metal industry told the Dallas Fed that they expected a recovery in oil prices. The downturn has hurt industries related to oil production in the region, and this report has provided key anecdotes on the impact of the oil crash over the last two years.
But at the same time, the executive expected that the shortage of skilled workers will drive wages - and so business expenses - up.
Last month's report also showed a rebound in demand via new orders. The growth rate of orders index turned positive for the first time in two years.