Core Viewpoint - IDEX Corporation has appointed Sean M. Gillen as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective January 5, 2026, succeeding Akhil Mahendra, who will return to his previous role as Vice President, Corporate Development [1][3]. Group 1: Leadership Changes - Sean M. Gillen brings extensive experience in financial performance, operational efficiency, and strategic growth from his previous role as CFO of AAR CORP, where he focused on portfolio management and M&A [2]. - Akhil Mahendra served as interim CFO since May 2025 and will resume his role in corporate development [1][3]. Group 2: Strategic Focus - IDEX's CEO, Eric Ashleman, expressed confidence in Gillen's ability to drive profitable growth and operational execution, emphasizing the importance of disciplined capital allocation and M&A experience [3]. - Gillen highlighted IDEX's differentiated strategy and the potential for margin improvement while building on growth markets [3]. Group 3: Human Resources Update - Melissa S. Flores, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, will leave IDEX for another opportunity effective December 19, 2025, with plans to fill her role externally [3]. Group 4: Company Overview - IDEX Corporation operates in three primary business segments: Health & Science Technologies, Fluid & Metering Technologies, and Fire & Safety/Diversified Products, employing around 8,800 people globally [4][6]. - The company reported revenues of $3.3 billion and a net income of $505 million for 2024 [6].

Core Viewpoint - Owens Corning has announced a 15% increase in its quarterly cash dividend, reflecting the company's commitment to returning value to shareholders [1]. Dividend Announcement - The Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.79 per common share, which is a 15% increase compared to the previous quarterly dividend [1]. - The dividend will be payable on January 21, 2026, to shareholders of record as of January 5, 2026 [1]. Future Dividend Declarations - Future dividend declarations will be made at the discretion of the Board of Directors, based on the company's earnings, financial condition, cash requirements, future prospects, and other factors [2]. Company Overview - Owens Corning is a leader in building products, committed to sustainability through material innovation [3]. - The company provides durable, sustainable, and energy-efficient solutions, leveraging its unique capabilities and market-leading positions [3]. - Owens Corning has over 25,000 employees in 31 countries and reported sales of $11.0 billion in 2024 [3].

Core Viewpoint - The company remains confident in its long-term growth trajectory despite facing challenges and headwinds in the manufacturing sector, particularly due to long supply chains extending to Asia [1][2]. Group 1: Financial Targets - The company aims for mid-single-digit top line growth, a gross margin exceeding 35%, and an EBITDA margin in the high teens or better [1]. - Tariffs have delayed the company’s progress by approximately 12 months, but price adjustments have been made to offset these tariffs [2]. Group 2: Mitigation Strategies - The company is actively pursuing mitigation strategies to recover margins affected by tariffs, indicating a proactive approach to managing costs and maintaining profitability [2]. - There is a desire for a more stable and construction-friendly environment to support business operations [2].

Group 1 - The article does not provide any relevant content regarding company or industry insights [1]

Labor Market Overview - The White House announced the likely absence of the October Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report due to a government shutdown, casting doubt on the previously reported strong September data [1] - The ADP private sector jobs report, based on anonymized payroll data from over 26 million U.S. private-sector employees, is a trusted non-government source for labor data [3] Job Losses and Sector Performance - Private employers cut 32,000 jobs in November, with significant losses in construction, manufacturing, professional/business services, and information services [5] - Job declines were uneven across sectors, with construction losing 9,000 jobs, manufacturing losing 18,000, and professional/business services losing 26,000, while natural resources and mining added 8,000 jobs [7] Regional Job Trends - The Northeast and South experienced steep job losses, with New England laying off 50,000, the Mid-Atlantic cutting 49,000, and the South Atlantic losing nearly 80,000 jobs; in contrast, the Midwest and West reported job gains of 45,000 and 67,000, respectively [9]

Core Viewpoint - Fabrinet, a leading provider of advanced optical packaging and precision manufacturing services, will present at the Barclays 23rd Annual Global Technology Conference in San Francisco on December 10, 2025 [1][2]. Company Overview - Fabrinet specializes in advanced optical packaging and precision optical, electro-mechanical, and electronic manufacturing services for original equipment manufacturers of complex products, including optical communication components, automotive components, medical devices, and industrial lasers [3]. - The company offers a comprehensive range of capabilities across the entire manufacturing process, including process design, supply chain management, manufacturing, advanced packaging, integration, final assembly, and testing [3]. - Fabrinet operates engineering and manufacturing facilities in Thailand, the United States, China, and Israel, focusing on high complexity products in various mixes and volumes [3].

Group 1: Employment Data - The ADP monthly jobs report indicates a decline of -32K private-sector payrolls for November, falling short of expectations for +40K and the previous month's revised figure of +47K, marking the fourth negative month in the last six [1][2] - The four-month trailing average of private-sector payrolls is currently at -4K, the first negative average since the early months of the Covid pandemic in 2020 [2] - Small businesses (fewer than 50 employees) accounted for all job losses, with a significant drop of -120K jobs, representing a post-Covid low [2][3] Group 2: Job Loss Breakdown - Job losses were concentrated in small businesses, with -46K jobs lost among companies with fewer than 20 employees and -74K among firms with 20-49 employees [3] - Sectors such as Manufacturing lost -18K jobs, while Information Services and Professional/Business Services saw declines of -20K and -26K jobs, respectively [4] Group 3: Wage Trends - Job Stayers experienced an average wage increase of +4.4%, while Job Changers saw a higher average increase of +6.3%, indicating a tightening labor market [5] Group 4: Import and Export Prices - Import and export prices remained unchanged in September, with imports at 0.0% and exports also unchanged, reflecting a lack of significant price movement [6][7] - Year-over-year, imports increased by +0.3%, while exports rose by +3.8%, the highest in nearly three years, suggesting challenges in absorbing tariffs within the economy [8] Group 5: Market Reaction - Following the release of the ADP jobs data, pre-market futures showed muted reactions, with larger indexes shifting from positive to negative territory, indicating a potential market response to the economic reports [9][10]

US industrial production barely rose in September, restrained by flat factory output that is consistent with sluggish manufacturing. https://t.co/f2JByym4kE ...

Core Insights - The U.S. private sector experienced a significant decline in employment in November, with a loss of 32,000 jobs, contrasting sharply with Wall Street's expectation of a gain of 40,000 jobs [1][2] - This decline represents the largest single-month drop since March 2023, primarily driven by small businesses [2] Employment Trends - Companies with 50 or more employees reported a net gain of 90,000 jobs, while small businesses (fewer than 50 employees) faced a loss of 120,000 jobs, including a notable decline of 74,000 jobs among businesses with 20 to 49 employees [2] - Professional and business services led the job losses with a decrease of 26,000 roles, followed by information services (down 20,000), manufacturing (down 18,000), financial activities (down 9,000), and construction (down 9,000) [3] Wage Growth - Pay growth in November slowed, with year-over-year pay increasing by 4.4% for workers remaining in their positions, a decrease of 0.1% from October [3]

Core Insights - The manufacturing industry is facing a significant gender gap, with women making up only 29% of the workforce as of 2022, prompting initiatives like the "35×30" campaign aimed at increasing this representation to 35% by adding approximately 500,000 women by 2030 [3] Group 1: Gender Representation and Initiatives - The "35×30" campaign was launched by The Manufacturing Institute to address the gender gap in manufacturing [3] - Approximately 75% of attendees at the Women in Manufacturing Summit reported personal challenges balancing work and caregiving responsibilities, highlighting systemic issues in the industry [2][4] Group 2: Work-Life Balance and Industry Solutions - Flexible work schedules, attractive income and benefits, and improved work-life balance are identified as key strategies to attract more women into the manufacturing sector [4] - The conversation around work-life balance is shifting from being viewed as a personal issue to a systemic challenge that requires collaboration between public and private sectors [4] Group 3: Child Care Tax Incentives - Starting January 1, 2026, the federal child care tax incentive will expand eligibility and increase the credit rate to 50% and 60% for small businesses, with a maximum credit of $500,000 for larger businesses and $600,000 for small businesses [5] - The 45F credit allows businesses to reduce their income tax liability by up to $150,000 annually, covering 25% of qualified child care expenses and 10% of referral service costs [6] - Advocacy from organizations like Moms First and Kindercare emphasizes the need for affordable child care as a critical barrier for executives in the industry [6]