Tag Archives: economy

Ever wonder just how much your business matters to the economy? According to an article by NRF, the importance of small business to job creation and to the U.S. economy has been the focus of economists and policy makers for …

Despite nicer spring weather, consumers softened their spending in April. According to the National Retail Federation, April retail sales, which exclude automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, were unchanged seasonally adjusted month-to-month yet increased 4.7 percent unadjusted year-over-year. “The shift in …

March retail sales, which exclude automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, increased 0.8 percent adjusted month-to-month, according to the National Retail Federation. It was also a positive month for the home improvement sector: building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers …

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 192,000 in March, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.7 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The National Retail Federation calculated month-to-month retail employment increased 18,200 in March and 229,000 …

Despite ups and downs in housing-related stocks due to severe winter weather patterns across much of the country, the Hardware Retailing Stock Index handily recovered from January’s downturn, adding 69.25 points, or 5.72 percent, to close at 1280.65, outperforming all …

February retail sales, which exclude automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, increased 0.2 percent adjusted month-to-month, according to the National Retail Federation. In the home improvement industry, building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers stores’ sales increased 0.3 percent seasonally-adjusted …

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 175,000 in February, with the unemployment rate at 6.7 percent and the labor force participation rate at 63.0 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported. The National Retail Federation calculated retail employment …

After a robust and record-setting 2013, markets headed south in January. Stocks tanked when emerging markets fell overseas: A preliminary survey of a purchasing managers’ index of Chinese manufacturing dropped to 49.6, the lowest reading since July. Consumer sentiment dipped …