Economists from the MAPI Foundation are less optimistic about U.S. manufacturing production over the next two years but believe that the sector will add more jobs than previously projected.

Congress is poised to enact a law denying or revoking passports for US citizens who haven’t paid their taxes. Under a new law, expected to take effect in January, the State Department will block Americans with seriously delinquent tax debt from receiving new passports and will be allowed to rescind existing passports of people who fall into that category.

What do you do when a hot property-market has driven bricklayer salaries to nearly $100,000 a year in Australian cities such as Sydney? Call in the robots. Fastbrick Robotics, set to list on the Australian Securities Exchange on Wednesday, has invented a machine it says will eventually be able to build a four-bedroom house in two days without human help.

Much more is highlighted in A Look Ahead.