Austen Hufford
Wall Street Journal
New York, NY, United States
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Past articles by Austen:
How Seasonality Affects Our View of Inflation and Jobs, as Explained With Hot Dogs
Routine adjustments based on time of year can dramatically change how economic figures are perceived. → Read More
Sketchy Social Security Numbers Possibly Landed Billions in Covid Aid
The U.S. government likely awarded more than $5 billion in emergency pandemic loans to applicants that used questionable and unverified Social Security numbers, a government watchdog said. → Read More
Consumers Lower Their Expectations of Future Inflation
Americans are expecting less inflation in coming years, a survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows. → Read More
3M Earplugs Fight Stems From Self-Made Legal Battle
A patent-infringement lawsuit filed against a smaller competitor led to an old memo and now possibly billions of dollars in liabilities. → Read More
3M Faces Potentially Billions in Liabilities Over $7.63 Earplugs
The company will begin court-ordered settlement negotiations over military earplugs next month, following lawsuits filed by thousands of veterans. → Read More
Caterpillar Relocation to Texas Extends U.S. Manufacturing’s Southern Shift
State lawmakers have pushed tax policies to lure makers of electric vehicles, electronics and more. → Read More
Caterpillar to Move Headquarters to Texas from Illinois
The equipment maker is the latest big manufacturer to share plans to leave Illinois in recent weeks, after Boeing said it would shift its global headquarters to Arlington, Va., from Chicago. → Read More
Whirlpool Says Consumers’ Appliance Demand Is Waning, as Costs Mount
The appliance maker cut its sales forecast and began a strategic review of its Europe, Middle East and Africa division. → Read More
Gas-Engine Bans Drive Landscapers Toward Electric Mowers and Blowers
A push to go electric is sowing discord among landscapers. → Read More
Oil Price Rise ‘Trickles Down to Everything,’ Even Your Potato Salad to Go
Hydrocarbons are used to make many items, such as fertilizer and food packaging, and someone has to bear the brunt of higher oil and natural-gas costs. → Read More
Manufacturers Work to Cut Ties to Russia
Russian-linked motorcycle and cable makers in the U.S. seek alternate routes and supplies to keep doing business. → Read More
Companies Bet You’re Ready to Test at Home for More Than Covid-19
Developers are pursuing rapid flu and strep-throat diagnostic products, as the pandemic raises consumers’ comfort level with monitoring own health. → Read More
Construction Demand Lifts Caterpillar Revenue as Order Backlog Grows
The heavy-equipment maker’s quarterly revenue rose 23%, but supply-chain challenges meant it fell further behind on orders. → Read More
Whirlpool Says Omicron Will Keep Appliances in Short Supply
Washing machines, refrigerators and other appliances are likely to remain hard to get this year as Covid-19 infections fuel supply chain problems, Whirlpool’s chief executive said. → Read More
3M’s N95 Mask Sales Climb, Lifting Revenue as Omicron Drives Demand
The manufacturer says new government guidance raised awareness of the product to help fight the Covid-19 variant’s spread. → Read More
Supply-Chain Mess Threatens Holiday Sales, From Hot Sauce to Board Games
Manufacturers face backlogged ports, worker shortages and scarce materials and components. → Read More
Appliance Business Cast Off by GE Thrives Under Chinese Ownership
Haier Group bought the business from General Electric in 2016 and has been adding jobs and increasing its U.S. market share. → Read More
Chip Shortage Has Manufacturers Turning to Lower-Tech Models
Makers of appliances and other products are adapting designs, shipping uncompleted units and focusing on older, lower-tech models because of the global shortage of semiconductors. → Read More
Manufacturers Expect Infrastructure Projects to Boost Sales—and Ease Transport Snarls
Executives say the $1 trillion infrastructure bill will create demand for maintenance equipment and construction supplies, and it will ease some long-running bottlenecks and help companies move parts and products more efficiently. → Read More
Even Paint Makers Are Feeling the Chip Shortage
3M, Corning and PPG said sales are suffering, as major customers produced fewer chip-dependent vehicles and appliances, and cut purchases of glass, paint and industrial components. → Read More