Home
Share |

Content about Macroeconomics

January 28, 2013
The Numbers: Economy Adds Jobs in December but Unemployment Rate Unchanged

CHICAGO — Unemployment rate remains unchanged in the final month of 2012

CHICAGO — DECEMBER SAW THE NATION’S ECONOMY adding another 160,000 jobs, although the unemployment rate remained at 7.8%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Job numbers increased in the healthcare, food service, construction, and manufacturing industries.

“December’s report marks 34 straight months of private-sector job growth, which have added close to 5.8 million jobs,” says Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. “For nearly three years, steady gains have occurred across different sectors of the economy, and December finishes a strong year of consistent growth with average increases of about 160,000 private-sector jobs per month in 2012.”

THE NON-MANUFACTURING SECTOR ALSO GREW in December for the 36th consecutive month, according to the latest Institute for Supply Management’s Non-Manufacturing Report on Business, with a report of 56.1% in December, which was 1.4 percentage points higher than the November figure.

July 31, 2012
The Numbers: Opinions Vary on Meaning of Recent Employment Figures

CHICAGO — Most indicators show economic downturn in second quarter

CHICAGO — WHILE A POSITIVE SPIN came from Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis in July regarding the current state of the U.S. labor market, others were considerably more pessimistic.

In a statement, Solis says, “Our nation’s labor market added 80,000 jobs in the month of June, while the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 8.2%. We have seen 28 straight months of private-sector job growth, during which time our economy has added back close to 4.4 million private-sector jobs, with nearly one million jobs added this year.”

For the other side, Kathy Bostjancic, director of macroeconomic analysis with The Conference Board, a global, independent business membership and research association, comments, “The slow labor market improvement … once again confirms that the better payroll increases in the beginning of the year were another false start. The pullback marks the third straight disappointing year.”

April 12, 2012
The Numbers: Stock Market Strong While Unemployment Holds Steady

CHICAGO — Mid-March found the stock market posting its best day of the year

CHICAGO — MID-MARCH FOUND THE STOCK MARKET posting its best day of the year, with the Dow Jones closing at its highest level since 2007 and the Nasdaq composite closing above 3,000 for the first time since December 2000.

While the unemployment rate held steady at 8.3%—a three-year low—the number of private-sector jobs continued to increase. With a jump of 233,000 jobs in February, more than 3.9 million jobs have been added to the U.S. workforce.

“We’ve had 24 straight months of private-sector job growth,” says Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. “U.S. job growth over the last six months has been the strongest since before the recession began in 2006.” Experts say, however, that it will take another five years to gain pre-recession employment figures.

MORTGAGE APPLICATIONS WERE DOWN for the week ending March 2, decreasing 1.2% from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Along with that news, RealtyTrac showed new foreclosures were up 2.89% from December 2011 to January 2012.

September 15, 2011
Your Money: Inflation-Protected Securities

CHICAGO — Inflation affects us all. Even when it is coasting along at what might seem to be a harmless rate, it eats away at the buying power of the dollar.

When inflation hits 11% as it did in 1979, and then rises to 13.5% as it did in 1980, the world of investing, saving and spending is turned upside-down. That’s why some financial professionals are concerned about the most recent trend. After finishing 2010 at an average rate of 1.6%, the first five months of this year show an average of 2.64%, with the latest month in that period hitting the 3.6% mark.

Could this be the portent of sky-high inflation such as we saw in the 1970s? There is a growing amount of evidence that would suggest that possibility. The chief villain, according to many economists, is the Federal Reserve’s easy-money policy designed to support the government’s $2.2 trillion in stimulus spending. That, in addition to the rise in other government spending, has skyrocketed our federal debt.

August 24, 2010
U.S. Market for Coin-Ops & Drycleaners to Reach $3.5 Billion by 2015, Report Says

SAN JOSE, Calif. — In spite of the recession, a new report from Global Industry Analysts Inc. says, the U.S. market for drycleaning plants and coin-operated laundries will recover and gain momentum in the next few years, reaching $3.5 billion by 2015.

October 22, 2009
Despite Rosy Analysis, Drycleaners Still Feel the Squeeze

CHICAGO — Last month, Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke announced that the recession has likely come to an end, but drycleaners across the country reported declining sales for September, as well as the third quarter of 2009, according to a recent AmericanDrycleaner.com StatShot survey.

October 20, 2009
The Economy Is Still in Recession, Drycleaners Say

CHICAGO — Last month, Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke announced that the economy had resumed slow growth, meaning that the recession has come to an end. “Main Street,” however, disagrees: Asked, “Based on your experience, do you believe that the recession has come to an end?” an overwhelming 86.5% of drycleaners answered “No,” according to the most recent Wire survey. Just 7.7% said that the economy is improving, and 5.8% answered “Don’t know.”

July 6, 2009
Federal Minimum Wage Set to Jump to $7.25

WASHINGTON — The last of three scheduled increases in the federal minimum wage will hit on July 24, when all U.S. businesses will be required to raise eligible employee wages to $7.25 and display the proper labor law notice at each business location. To be compliant, all businesses with at least one employee must display the new regulation, regardless of whether employees are hourly, salaried or compensated at more than the minimum wage.

November 6, 2008
Third-Quarter Sales Fall, Signs Show Stabilizing Market

CHICAGO — Led by declines in the Southern states, drycleaning sales fell 3.4% nationwide in the third quarter, according to the most recent survey of AmericanDrycleaner.com’s StatShot panel, a group of industry operators who contribute financial information anonymously for use at the site.