Manufacturing is So Uncool Now, Serious People Don't Even Talk About It

That seems to be the case these days. Last week the Federal Reserve Board reported that manufacturing output fell by 0.1 percent, the second consecutive monthly decline. The sector has been virtually flat since April, presumably reflecting the rise in the trade deficit.

This report seemed to go virtually unnoticed in places like the NYT and the Washington Post. Since the sector is still an important part of the economy, it might have been worth at least a small story.