Cold March Keeps Shoppers’ Spending Tepid
NEW YORK — So much for new spring shorts and T-shirts. As cold weather lingered across most of the country, Americans shopped modestly in March. U.S. retailers reported a key revenue figure rose slightly during the month, as shoppers held back on spending because of the cold weather across the nation, particularly the Midwest and East Coast, and continued fears about the economy. Economists monitor consumer spending because it accounts for more than 70 percent of economic activity. According to a preliminary tally of 15 retailers by the International Council of Shopping Centers, revenue in stores open at least a year rose 1.6 percent, or 2.5 percent excluding drugstores. That was below expectations, said Michael Niemira, chief economist at the ICSC. Weather was a factor, with March being the coldest in seven years. The comparison with last March was especially tough. Last year saw the warmest March on record, according to weather research firm Planalytics Inc. “Wintry weather conditions ...
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United States: National American Indian Housing Council - 2013 Indian Housing Development Handbook - Godfrey & Kahn S.C.
The National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC), the only organization advocating solely on behalf of American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian housing interests, released today the electronic version of the 2013 Indian Housing Development Handbook.
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Mondaq
Is the U.S. Manufacturing Renaissance Real?
U.S. manufacturing is back. That’s been the conventional economic wisdom now for several months, and there’s plenty of proof to back it up – rising factory output, strong manufacturing production gains, and lower labor costs that make American workers more attractive. Couple that with the natural gas boom underway in the U.S., which many experts believe will lower energy costs for U.S. manufacturers, and you’ve got a resurgence of a sector that has been shrinking as a percentage of the economy for several decades. “We are probably the most competitive, on a global basis, than we’ve been in the past 30 years,” says GE CEO Jeff Immelt. “Will U.S. manufacturing go from 9% to 30% of all jobs? That’s unlikely. But could you see a steady increase in jobs, over the next quarters and years. I think that will happen.” But at least one economic seer, Goldman Sachs’ chief economist Jan Hatzius, is throwing a bit of cold water on the idea. He recently released a report, which is ...
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Madness for Sale: Businesses Go for a Piece of NCAA ‘March Madness’ Basketball Tournament
There’s just no stopping the madness. From Hooters restaurants to businesses selling books for homeschooled children to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, everyone seems to be pursuing a marketing tie-in to March Madness, a.k.a. the NCAA basketball tournament. This week, the nation’s attention turns to the college basketball tourney—if not the actual games, at least to office pools. It’s a costly time for American businesses; by one estimate, the loss in productivity due to the tournament will run a total of $134 million just on Thursday and Friday. Any time an event is on the minds of millions of American consumers, there will surely be businesses seeking a piece of the action. Here are some examples: The Bracket Racket The NCAA’s bracket format lends itself naturally to a series of face-to-face vote-offs on the Internet. Just substitute products, or movies, or even regional hot dogs and sausages, and wah-la! You’ve got a customized bracket that (hopefully) will be a ...
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Better Start Saving: U.S. Health Awesome — After Age 75
As if you needed another reason to save, retirees in the U.S. can expect to live longer than those in other advanced economies, a new report on health concludes. But hold the champagne. There’s precious little else in the findings to celebrate. American seniors benefit from lower cancer death rates and greater control of blood pressure and cholesterol levels, according to U.S. Health in International Perspective, a 378-page study by a panel of experts convened by the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council. Seniors also enjoy one of the world’s most technologically advanced health care systems, made more affordable through Medicare after age 65. (MORE: The Top Money New Year’s Resolutions for 2013) So all that advice about planning your finances as though you’ll live to 90 rings true. A 65-year-old couple has a 45% chance of at least one of them living that long. According to the report, Americans start outliving people in peer countries after the age of 75. The ...
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