Europe, Asia, US factories end 2024 on weak footing

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Factory activity across Asia, Europe, and the U.S. ended 2024 on weak footing, with concerns mounting over global trade risks tied to President-elect Donald Trump's tariff threats and China's uneven recovery.

The manufacturing slowdown reflects a challenging global economic environment as the new year begins.

In Europe, factory activity contracted further in December, with the eurozone'