AI Data Insight
At the beginning of Q2 2026 (April), the U.S. manufacturing average weekly hours stood at 40.4 hours, remaining flat from the previous value and maintaining the high point of the year. Although the new orders index continued to expand, amidst soaring raw material prices and geopolitical risks, companies are more inclined to extend the working hours of existing employees rather than expand headcount, reflecting a solid yet defensive labor strategy.