ANN ARBOR — Michigan drivers may not feel it immediately, but the latest flare-up in Middle East fighting has once again put gasoline prices—and much of Michigan's economy—on an upward path. Oil prices jumped this week after renewed fighting between the United States and Iran reignited concerns that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, one
GRAND RAPIDS - While headlines over the past several months have focused on tariffs, inflation and geopolitical uncertainty, one of Michigan's most closely watched manufacturing indicators is telling a more optimistic story. The latest Purchasing Managers Index from Grand Valley State University's Seidman College of Business shows West Michigan manufacturers enjoyed their strongest month in
ANN ARBOR — President Donald Trump's decision to reopen the North American trade agreement with Canada and Mexico could eventually affect the prices Michigan consumers pay for automobiles, appliances and other everyday goods, while creating new uncertainty for the state's manufacturing economy. The Trump administration announced this week that it will not renew the current
DETROIT — Veteran automotive journalist Paul Eisenstein, joins MITech TV to break down some of the biggest developments reshaping the global auto industry and what they could mean for Michigan automakers, suppliers and consumers. Among the topics discussed: Why Battery Electric Vehicle sales are rebounding after a challenging 2025 and what that means for automakers
GRAND RAPIDS - West Michigan’s economy continued to expand in April, but rising oil prices, tariff uncertainty and growing fears about a broader national slowdown are beginning to cloud the outlook across the entire state of Michigan. That was the takeaway from the latest monthly industrial survey by Grand Valley State University economist Brian Long,
ANN ARBOR - For decades, white collar workers believed college degrees and office careers offered protection from the economic disruption that devastated factory towns across the Midwest. Automation was supposed to threaten assembly lines — not office cubicles. But economists, labor researchers and major national publications are increasingly warning that artificial intelligence could reshape professional
ANN ARBOR - From connected cars rolling off Detroit assembly lines to smart devices inside homes across the state, a significant portion of Michigan’s digital infrastructure relies on Chinese-made communication components—often without consumers or businesses realizing it. A new report highlighted by The Hill is raising alarms in Washington over the dominance of two Chinese
MACKINAC ISLAND — Michigan scored a win on Thursday in its drive to preserve automotive production here amid massive changes coming to the industry from the shift to electric vehicles. Ford Motor Co. rolled out its plans to add 3,260 jobs in the state as part of a $2 billion investment in nine factories and a
