The past several weeks of economic bad news is having most of its impact on personal fortunes: corporate earnings, for the most part, remain very solid. But, as though to prove that free-market capitalism always mixes good news amid the bad (and vice versa), a new study reveals encouraging stats about the U.S. industrial economy.  

The sixth annual GlobalSpec survey of industrial indicators shows
- 80% of respondents report their companies are on track to meet or exceed their revenue targets.  
- Over 80% indicate that spending in the second half of 2007 will exceed first-half spending.

In addition, there is confirmation of some factors I've stressed before:
- 54% of companies in the survey name raw-material costs as their top concern (up from 47% last year.)
- 45% of respondents express concern (or are addressing) rising energy costs (up from 40% in 2006.)
- 68% of companies in the survey have outsourced some engineering work, a slight increase over last year.
- The survey respondents indicate that the most common areas for company reductions are spending, outsourcing manufacturing, consolidating vendors, and travel.

Finally, there is further evidence that our working lives demand too much of our personal time:
- 33% of respondents report working more hours this year than last year, and 53% have taken on more assignments.

It's an interesting study for metalcasters to consider, primarily because independent surveys of the industry are too few — but also because it illuminates facts about their customers, too.