Cu Soon Copper manufacturing could be another indirect indicator of how well the economy is doing because the metal is an essential component for everything from the wiring in our home appliances to the electric transmission infrastructure that powers homes and businesses. In recent years, copper has also played an important role in the production of electric vehicles. CRU Group, a global market research and consulting firm, projects that copper demand will skyrocket from 2020 to 2040, as the energy industry expands to keep up with population growth. Rolling in the (Frozen) Dough Restaurant dining, takeout and delivery are often cut from the family budget when money is tight — and that includes pizza. Placer.ai, a market intelligence and data analytics company, has found that when economic anxieties are high, consumers often go for less expensive frozen pizza from the grocery store rather than eating out or having it delivered. Frozen pizza sales, which were approximately $7 billion in 2024, are projected to increase by 6% annually, with some attributing this to consumers’ skittishness about the economy in the near term. Pet Adoption Owning and caring for pets is not cheap, and historically high inflation over the last few years didn’t help. Using data from the U.S. Department of Labor, the consulting firm Accenture found that pet services (such as grooming, boarding and pet sitting) have risen nearly 9% in the last year. During times of economic hardship, fewer people may adopt pets, and more may surrender pets they already have. According to PBS, nearly 20% of Americans adopted a cat or dog during the first 14 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, but in 2022, as the pandemic waned, 4% more pets entered shelters than left. That year, the Houston Humane Society reported a 50% increase in pet surrenders compared to pre-pandemic years. Night Lights Satellite imagery of nighttime lighting from homes and businesses captures human activity and can indicate economic vigor. This data can reflect factors affecting the economy (such as weather and policy shifts), show growth and fill gaps in the statistics available in rural or rapidly changing areas. According to data compiled by Accenture, the cumulative monthly average nighttime brightness in Texas has gradually increased since 2020, but the state has also experienced spikes and dips during that period. For example, nighttime brightness cratered in July 2024, when Hurricane Beryl made landfall near Matagorda and traveled through northeast Texas, as well as in July 2022, when the state experienced an extreme heatwave. DEALERS’ CHOICE 28
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