Industrial production took a very strong hit in December. However, sentiment could be signaling an improvement, especially among manufacturers. According to the autumn Investment Survey by the European Commission, manufacturers expect consumers to remain optimistic and are planning their investments accordingly in the consumers goods industry. The COVID-19 outbreak creates new uncertainties for global producers, but it’s too early to assess the global economic implications. The Conference Board's current forecast is that the outbreak will not derail global growth in 2020.