More Americans Sign Contracts to Buy Homes in June
by Associated Press – 4 weeks ago
More Americans signed contracts to purchase homes in June, marking the second straight month of growth.
Trends & Analysis
US Consumer Confidence Rebounds in July
4 weeks ago
American consumer confidence rebounded this month to the highest level since November after drooping in June.
US Retail Sales Rise 0.4% in June in Sign of Consumer Health
1 month ago
U.S. retail sales rose at a solid pace last month, providing crucial support to the economy at a time when other drivers of growth have faded.
US New Home Sales Slid 12.8% in July
Sales of new U.S. homes fell a steep 12.8% in July, but the drop came after revisions to June sales showed the sales highest growth in 12 years. read more >
Retailers' Results Show Sharp Divide Between Losers, Winners
While big-box stores and off-price retailers have responded faster to shoppers' increasing shift online, many mall-based clothing chains and department stores continue to suffer weak sales. read more >
US Home Sales Rose 2.5% in July, Aided by Low Mortgage Rates
U.S. home sales increased 2.5% in July, a sign that lower mortgage rates have produced a spurt of home-buying. read more >
Hot Springs Tourism: Nearly 8M Visitors in 2018 Spent Record $677M
Travelers have increased their spending in Hot Springs, the state's tourism mecca, by nearly 30% since 2013, according to data presented Monday to the area's tourism industry. read more >
NABE Survey: 34% of Economists Expect Recession in 2021
A number of U.S. business economists appear sufficiently concerned about the risks of some of President Donald Trump's economic policies that they expect a recession in the U.S. by the end of 2021. read more >
What, Me Worry? (Gwen Moritz Editor's Note)
In every case, risk itself is compounded by incompetent, uninterested management. read more >
Cumulative Employment Growth in Arkansas Varies
Nonfarm payroll employment in Arkansas rose in June in most of the state's metro areas, particularly in Fayetteville and Jonesboro. read more >
Arkansas Unemployment Drops to 3.4%, A Record Low
Arkansas' unemployment rate dropped by one-tenth of a percentage point in July, to 3.4% from 3.5% in June. read more >
US Retail Sales Up Solidly In Sign of Consumer Optimism
Americans spent more at retail stores and restaurants in July, a sign that concerns over weakening economic growth and a persistent trade war that have roiled financial markets have yet to dampen consumer confidence. read more >
China's Xi Gets Tougher on Trump After New Tariff Threat
Facing another U.S. tariff hike, Chinese President Xi Jinping is getting tougher with Washington instead of backing down. read more >
Unemployment Rates Trend Lower in Arkansas
The unemployment rates in most of Arkansas' metro areas continued to move downward or stay stable in June, with Fayetteville, Jonesboro, Little Rock and Texarkana seeing declines. read more >
What Is Professionalism Now? (Jim Karrh On Marketing)
As a practical business matter, if the professionalism bar is being lowered in many respects, then this topic represents a path for professionals and organizations to stand out. read more >
Trump Calls on Fed to Make 'Substantial' Rate Cuts
President Donald Trump is not letting up on his attacks on the Federal Reserve, calling for "substantial" Fed rate cuts to allow the dollar to fall in value against foreign currencies. read more >
US Long-Term Mortgage Rates Fall Sharply
U.S. long-term mortgage rates fell sharply this week, with the benchmark 30-year loan touching its lowest level since November 2016. read more >
Customer Value, Shareholder Value (Craig Douglass On Consumers)
In essence, giving management a stake in outcomes encouraged shorter-term (think quarterly reporting) focus and left customers holding the bag. That strategy is efficient, but not sustainable. read more >
Ted Suhl Is Still A Felon (Gwen Moritz Editor's Note)
What's the matter with me? President Trump commuted the sentence of a man who used religion and bribes for personal gain, and my outrage meter barely registered. read more >
Sharpen Your Pencils (Craig Douglass On Consumers)
Most of the districts placed under state control have suffered from fiscal distress, even though the Arkansas Constitution requires the state to provide to all K-12 students an adequate and equitable education. read more >
Arkansas GDP Grows 2.5% in Q1
Arkansas' gross domestic product expanded by 2.5% during the first quarter of 2019, the highest quarterly growth rate for the state since the fourth quarter of 2016, Michael Pakko noted recently on his Arkansas Economist blog. read more >
Arkansas Revenue Meets Expectations at Fiscal Year's Start
Arkansas finance officials say the state's revenue met expectations at the start of the fiscal year, even though collections came in lower than the same time last year. read more >
US Employers Added 164K Jobs in July; Unemployment Rate Held at 3.7%
U.S. employers slowed their hiring in July, adding a still-healthy 164,000 jobs to an economy that appears poised to extend its decade-plus expansion. read more >
Survey Suggests Slower Economic Growth in Midwest, Plains
A new report says a July survey of business supply managers suggests economic growth will slow over the next three to six months in nine Midwest and Plains states. read more >
US Business Economists See Slower Growth and Profits Ahead
U.S. business economists expect economic growth to slow this year, and a rising proportion of them think corporate sales and profits will decline. read more >
Benton, Pulaski Counties Hold Wealthiest Zip Codes in Arkansas
Arkansas Business ranks the wealthiest ZIP codes in Arkansas by percentage of 2016 individual income tax return showing adjusted gross income of $100,000 or more. read more >
Inequality Increases in U.S. Wealth Distribution
Wealth disparities in the United States have widened substantially in the last 30 years. read more >
Flagging Disrespect (Gwen Moritz Editor's Note)
I believe in the economic boycott as a perfectly legitimate, free-market tool for encouraging different corporate behavior. It sometimes even works, although there seem to be a lot more calls for boycotts than subsequent victory celebrations. read more >
Public Infrastructure Spending Declines Since 2007
Total public spending on infrastructure in the United States fell by $9.9 billion from 2007 to 2017, according to a May report by the Brookings Institution. read more >
Arkansas Unemployment Drops to 3.5%, A New Record Low
Arkansas' unemployment rate dropped by one-tenth of a percentage point in June, to 3.5% from 3.6% in May. read more >
Number of Community Banks Drops Sharply
The number of banks in the United States fell by almost 50% during the last 20 years, from about 10,700 in 1997 to about 5,600 in 2017, with the vast majority of the decline, 97%, accounted for by community banks. read more >
Manufacturing Employment in Arkansas Hits 163,000
Manufacturing employment in Arkansas stood at 163,000 workers in May 2019, far below its peak in the 1990s but higher than the trough experienced in the aftermath of the Great Recession. read more >
Ozone Action Days: It's Good Business (Tab Townsell Commentary)
For "Telecommute Month," Metroplan highlights the health and financial benefits of a growing workplace trend. read more >
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