Category Archives: economy

American Axle – UAW Demands Released Before Contract End

Posted on 13 March 2026 by Ken Zino

“As a Tier 1 parts supplier to General Motors, American Axle has generated $2.9 billion in profits since 2022. Over that time, the company’s CEO has been paid $47.9 million, with the top five executives receiving nearly $100 million in compensation. Meanwhile, UAW members working at the Three Rivers plant struggle to afford basic needs, with some even forced to sleep in their cars, the UAW said. Continue reading →

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Legal Tariffs – Detroit Diesel to Add Third Shift, Recall Laid Off Workers

Posted on 12 March 2026 by Ken Zino

“Strategic, targeted tariffs are an important tool in the toolbox to undo the damage of our free trade disaster and bring back good union jobs to the U.S.,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “Companies like Detroit Diesel, and their parent company Daimler Truck North America, need to step up to reinvest in the workers who make the product and stop laying off American workers while making billions in profit. We applaud this first step in the right direction.” Continue reading →

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Porsche AG Reorganization 2.0 or The New Strategy 2035

Posted on 11 March 2026 by Ken Zino

Porsche AG (P911.DE) said today at the company’s annual press conference in Stuttgart that it is shifting into the next gear in the realignment of the company and its product portfolio, which began in 2025 after disastrous financial results.*

“Since I took office, our management team has systematically analyzed the situation and begun a series of initial targeted measures. These include the consistent application of our Value over Volume principle, especially in the difficult market environment of China; and the quality-oriented ramp-up of production of the all-electric Cayenne,” said the new CEO, Dr Michael Leiters. Continue reading →

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Trump Slump Forecast – February 26 New Vehicle Sales Drop

Posted on 25 February 2026 by Ken Zino

“The new-vehicle sales pace shifted to a lower gear in Q4 of last year, and that weakness is expected to continue through this month as well,” said Charlie Chesbrough, senior economist at Cox Automotive. Continue reading →

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Trump Tariff Flops – December Goods Trade Deficit Up $15.7B

Posted on 20 February 2026 by Ken Zino

“The U.S. trade deficit for goods hit a record in 2025 despite Trump’s claim his signature tariffs would reduce it, new data shows. Trump declared the country’s goods trade deficit a national emergency last year and pledged to shrink it as part of efforts to revive U.S. manufacturing. Yesterday’s numbers add to previous data suggesting U.S. companies have generally not brought production back home—all while Trump’s tariff policy is being challenged in a Supreme Court case,” The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) said. [The U.S. Supreme Court today in a 6-3 ruling said tariffs that Trump imposed under an emergency powers law were unconstitutional. This also covers so-called “reciprocal” tariffs that he levied. – AutoCrat] Continue reading →

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Tennessee Triumph – VW Workers Ratify UAW Contract!

Posted on 20 February 2026 by Ken Zino

Volkswagen workers have voted by a 96% margin to ratify their first union contract. The UAW contract – the first at major Southern auto plant comes with 20 % wage increases, healthcare cost reductions, job security guarantees, an enforceable grievance procedure, among other things, that make the UAW a formidable rival for wealthy global corporations. The final tally was announced last night.

“Volkswagen workers have moved yet another mountain,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “From having the courage to stand up and form their union, to having the backbone to authorize a strike and hold out for a contract that honors their worth, VW workers are leading the way for the entire labor movement and non-union autoworkers everywhere. Welcome to the UAW family.” Continue reading →

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February 2026 U.S. Vehicle Sales Forecast is Down Again

Posted on 19 February 2026 by Ken Zino

“The February sales pace shows a modest improvement over January, but will be down from a year ago, with retail sales projected to decline 4.6%. As in January, performance is being shaped by depressed electric vehicle (EV) retail demand. EVs are expected to account for just 6.6% of retail sales, down 1.8 percentage points from a year ago, while elevated transaction prices continue to weigh on volumes through ongoing affordability pressure,” said Thomas King, president of OEM solutions at JD Power. Continue reading →

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Sustainable Energy in America – Mixed Progress in 2025

Posted on 18 February 2026 by Ken Zino

BloombergNEF and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) today revealed the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook. It inarguably delivers valuable year-over-year data and insights on the American energy expansion and progress across the energy efficiency, natural gas, and renewable energy sectors.

“In 2025, U.S. electricity demand rose considerably for the first time in decades, coinciding with rising electricity prices. At the same time, far-reaching and unpredictable policy changes provided both major challenges and a few unanticipated opportunities for the energy sector,” the Factbook noted. Continue reading →

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CAFE Regs Intact Post Trump Endangerment Finding Repeal

Posted on 16 February 2026 by Ken Zino

“The February 12 rule making also substantially revises the federal mobile source regulations to eliminate all federal GHG emission standards established since 2009 for motor vehicles and certain other mobile source engines. This reversal on climate policy creates uncertainty for mobile source manufacturers who made significant investments since 2009 to comply with limits on greenhouse gases, as well as other industries subject to greenhouse gas limits not explicitly rescinded by the rule,” the Foley & Lardner law firm noted today. Continue reading →

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Magna Posts 2025 EBIT of $2,364 Million

Posted on 13 February 2026 by Ken Zino

“We closed 2025 with a strong fourth quarter, successfully navigating another dynamic year in our industry. Our disciplined execution and commitment to operational excellence enabled us to deliver financial results that were in line with, or exceeded, our February 2025 Outlook across all key metrics. We expanded full-year adjusted EBIT margin by 20 basis points and generated robust Free Cash Flow of $1.9 billion,” said Swamy Kotagiri, Magna CEO. Continue reading →

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Penske Automotive Group Posts $1.3 billion in 2025 Earnings

Posted on 11 February 2026 by Ken Zino

Penske Automotive Group, Inc. (NYSE: PAG)* today announced 2025 Q4 and full-year 2025 results. For Q4 revenue was $7.8 billion compared to $8.1 billion for the same period in 2024. Net income attributable to common stockholders was $186.1 million compared … Continue reading →

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Ford Motor Posts 2025 Loss of $8.2B on Record Revenue

Posted on 10 February 2026 by Ken Zino

Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) today announced its disappointing Q4 and full-year 2025 financial results. Q4 and full-year revenue reached $45.9 billion and $187.3 billion, respectively. This was the  fifth consecutive year of full-year revenue growth. However, Q4  and full-year net losses of $11.1 billion and $8.2 billion, respectively, reflected impact of special items, some of them such as Trump tariff chaos and a shortage of aluminum because of a supplier fire were largely out of Ford management’s control.

“Ford delivered a strong 2025 in a dynamic and often volatile environment,” claimed Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO. “We improved our core business and execution, made significant progress in the areas of the business we control – lowering material and warranty costs and making real progress on quality – and made difficult but critical strategic decisions that set us up for a stronger future. Moving forward, we’ll continue building on our strong foundation to achieve our target of 8% adjusted EBIT margin by 2029.” Continue reading →

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Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Posts 2025 Loss of $1.7B

Posted on 9 February 2026 by Ken Zino

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NASDAQ: GT)* reported fourth quarter and full-year 2025 results today. The 2025 2025 net loss came in at -$1.7 billion. The 2025 net sales were $18.3 billion, with tire unit volumes totaling 158.7 million.

“We delivered another strong quarter, driven by execution of our Goodyear Forward plan,” said Mark Stewart, chief executive officer and president. “Our fourth quarter results mark the highest segment operating income and margin the company has achieved in more than seven years. While we continue to face challenging industry conditions in the first quarter, we are operating with greater focus and discipline on the elements within our control – much as we did throughout 2025 – to navigate the current environment.” Continue reading →

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Stellantis €22.2B Charges. Dividend Cancelled. Stock Tanks

Posted on 9 February 2026 by Ken Zino

Stellantis N.V. (NYSE: STLA. STLAM.MI) on Friday announced a vast overhaul of  its business and as it prepares for the communication of its new strategic plan in May of this year. In a release it claimed that “it has conducted a thorough assessment of its strategy and related costs required to align the Company with the real-world preferences of its customers.”[Translation – STLA is hemorrhaging cash and will take charges and add debt while it tries to return to profitability. The capital markets did not take a wait and see view. STLA dropped ~24% by the time the markets closed – AutoCrat] Continue reading →

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Toyota Motor Posts Q3 FY 2026 Net Income of $7.6 billion

Posted on 6 February 2026 by Ken Zino

“In Japan, operating income decreased due to factors such as the effects of foreign exchange rates and increased expenses. In North America, operating income decreased due to U.S. tariffs. Other regions saw an increase in operating income thanks to increased sales volume, model mix and other factors,” said Kenta Kon, Chief Financial Officer, TMC. [Kon will take over from chief executive Koji Sato on 1April. “This change in roles is intended to accelerate management decision-making in response to changes in the internal and external environment,” Toyota said in a release. Sato  becomes vice chairman with a newly created position of chief industry officer. – AutoCrat.] Continue reading →

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