The Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (www.mapi.net) forecasts “moderate” growth for manufacturing production from 2016-2018, based on consumer spending buoyed by employment and income growth. MAPI sees stabilization ahead after 2015’s sharp swings in energy prices (down) and the dollar (up), exacerbated by the West Coast port strike and last year’s severe winter. The fortunes of individual industries will vary with computer & electronic products growing 4.3% to 5.7% through 2018 while mining & drilling equipment will continue to decline in 2016 before growing from 2017-2018. See MAPI’s full forecast here.