State Tax Revenue Falls 4.6% in July
Net available general revenue was $527.7 million, down $25.6 million from the same month a year ago. read more >
Restaurant Employees Skew Younger, According to Census Survey
The restaurant industry employs a much higher proportion of younger workers than the overall economy. Forty percent of restaurant and food service employees are under the age of 25, while […] read more >
Arkansas Retail Sales Dip in Q1
The Arkansas Economic Development Institute index of Arkansas retail sales dropped by 0.7% in the first quarter of 2024, while the Census Bureau reported that retail trade and food services […] read more >
State Jobless Rate Falls to 3.3% in June
Month-over-month, Arkansas’ total job numbers grew by 0.6%, topping national rankings for the second time this year. read more >
US Infrastructure Investment Rebounds
The share of their budgets that state and local governments spent on capital investment fell sharply in the 1970s and early 1980s before stagnating and drifting downwards during the decades […] read more >
Drivers to Spend Less Income on Gasoline This Year, Forecasters Say
The July report did not reflect any effects from Hurricane Beryl. read more >
American Steel Industry Employment Stood at 83,600 in 2023
Although employment in iron and steel mills and in the production of ferroalloy products in the United States has rebounded since the pandemic, it remains far below the highs recorded […] read more >
Household Debt Service Ratio Stood at 9.8% in Q4
The percentage of disposable personal income going to pay household debt was 9.8% in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. That was […] read more >
State Jobless Rate Holds at 3.4% in May
The civilian labor force and the number of employed both remained at record highs. read more >
Central Arkansas Retail Sales Rise 3.2% in 2023
Retail sales in central Arkansas rose 3.2% in 2023 compared with the previous year, according to an April report by Metroplan, the region’s planning agency. Total sales were $19.2 billion, […] read more >
Labor Force Participation Rate Hits 83.6% Among Prime-Age Workers
The labor force participation rate among primeage workers in the United States, defined as those ages 25-54, hit 83.6% in May, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That […] read more >
US Hiring and Wage Growth Was Stronger Than Expected Last Month
Last month’s sizable job gain suggests that the economy is still growing steadily, propelled by consumer spending on travel, entertainment and other services. read more >
by Associated Press -
Younger Americans Lead Older Generations in Family Wealth
Younger Americans owned $1.22 for every $1 of wealth owned by baby boomers, on average, at close to the same age. read more >
Women-Owned Businesses Total 1.3 Million in US
The majority of women-owned businesses in the United States, 52.3%, employ between one and four workers, according to an Oct. 26 report by the U.S. Census Bureau. Only 7.3% employ […] read more >
Retail Sales in Arkansas Slow in 2023
Total retail spending in Arkansas increased 2.4% in 2023 compared with 2022, according to economist Michael Pakko. In the U.S., total retail spending rose 2.6% last year compared with the […] read more >
US Air Travel Continues Rebound
Aviation revenue passenger-miles, a measurement of the volume of air passenger transportation, stood at 91.8 million in January in the United States, surpassing the pre-pandemic high of 91 million reached […] read more >
US Student Loan Debt Declines for First Time
Student loan debt in the United States posted its first-ever decline in 2023, falling to $1.73 trillion compared with $1.76 trillion in 2022, according to the Education Data Initiative, a […] read more >
Average Long-Term US Mortgage Rate Climbs Above 7% to Highest Level Since Late November
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage rose to 7.1% from 6.88% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.39%. read more >
Mobile Banking Usage Grows to 64% of US Account Holders
The share of bank account holders in the United States who used mobile banking reached 64% in the fourth quarter of 2023, a six percentage point increase over the rate […] read more >
US Applications for Jobless Benefits Rise to Highest Level in Two Months, but Layoffs Remain Low
Many economists thought rapid rate hikes could potentially tip the country into recession, but jobs have remained plentiful. read more >
by Associated Press -
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