2013 Trends

Here's the Top 5 2013 trends I'm reading, and liking.  I hope they come true.

1. Reshoring and Onshoring of Manufacturing Get More Real. This is still anecdotal in many books. However, the continued decline of the cost differences between the U.S. and off-shore options for where to manufacturing goods for return to the U.S. bodes well. So does the greater Wall Street realization that the last decade plus of offshoring was probably a mistake in the first place.

2. Housing Recovery Continues Upward.  It's already begun.  Housing starts and sale of existing homes are both up in 2012 and projected to steadily do the same in 2013.  That's good for growing communities, like Licking County, and for manufacturing, particularly companies like Owens Corning which sells to the housing market.

3. A Better Economy.  Despite continued federal-level policy uncertainty, I haven't heard any economist have a bad thing to say about 2013 yet. 

4. End of Fiscal Cliff, Continuation of Sequestration.  The Congressional machinations pretty much put to rest use of the term fiscal cliff for now on.  However, the 60-day delay of defense budget sequestration and other budget automatic cuts means that term remains with us and may keep getting kicked like the proverberial can down the road.

5. Less Politics.  It's not an election year and Ohio is back off of the national stage.  That's good in my book.