Philip J. LeBeau is a CNBC auto and airline industry reporter based at the network's Chicago bureau. Prior to joining CNBC, LeBeau served as a media relations specialist for Van Kampen Funds in Oak Brook Terrace, IL. While at Van Kampen, LeBeau held a Series 6 license.
When you look at the surge in hiring for the auto industry in the U.S. one factor overlooked is the fact America has become a huge auto exporter. Read More
Lost amid the Super Bowl hype and the better than expected jobs number was a very strong prediction from Toyota. The Japanese automaker says it expects global sales in 2012 to rebound to an all-time high. We’re not talking about an all-time high for Toyota. If Toyota hits its sales target it will be an all-time record for annual sales by any automaker. Read More
So much for auto sales slowing down in January. As the automakers reported their sales for the start of the year it became clear the combination of pent-up demand and a slowly improving economy are driving more people into the showroom. Read More
This should have been a day to celebrate at Ford headquarters. It announced a pre-tax operating profit of $8.8 billion for 2011, its most profitable year since 1999. Instead, the company missed earnings estimates by a nickel and investors are focusing on the company's conservative outlook for 2012. Read More
The problem for Akerson and his team is that it continues to struggle to break the connection between GM and the federal government. That connection still bothers a lot of people. Read More