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From March to June 2010 the number of gross job gains from opening and expanding private sector establishments increased to 6.9 million, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Over this period, gross job losses from closing and contracting private sector establishments were 6.2 million. Job losses have steadily decreased from a recent high of 8.5 million in December 2008 to the lowest level since the series began in September 1992.

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in January for the 18th consecutive month, and the overall economy grew for the 20th consecutive month, say the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business®.

The total number of passengers transported by air fell by 6% in the EU27 in 2009 compared with 2008, to 751 million, showing the impact of the economic crisis. This is the first fall recorded in the EU since 2002, marked by the effect of 11 September 2001 on passenger numbers. The number of passengers decreased by 8% on intra-EU flights in 2009, to 318 million, by 4% on extra-EU flights to 271 million and by 5% on national flights to 162 million. Total freight and mail transported by air in the EU27 also fell in 2009 compared with 2008, by 12%.

The annual growth rate of M3 decreased to 1.7% in December 2010, from 2.1% in November 2010. The three-month average of the annual growth rates of M3 over the period October 2010 - December 2010 rose to 1.6%, from 1.4% in the period September 2010 - November 2010.

The results reported in the January 2011 bank lending survey relate to changes during the last quarter of 2010 and to expectations of changes in the first quarter of 2011. The survey was conducted on a sample of 120 euro area banks between 6 December 2010 and 10 January 2011. The response rate was 100%. As in previous survey rounds, a set of ad hoc questions dealing specifically with the implications of the situation in financial markets were included.

In the third quarter of 2010, in both the euro area (EA16) and the EU27, the seasonally adjusted business investment rate remained stable at low levels, while the profit share grew.

Employers took 1,483 mass layoff actions in December involving 137,992 workers, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Each mass layoff involved at least 50 persons from a single employer. The number of mass layoff events in December decreased by 96 from the prior month, and the number of associated initial claims decreased by 10,808. The number of events reached its lowest level since April 2008. In December, 319 mass layoff events were reported in the manufacturing sector, seasonally adjusted, resulting in 35,977 initial claims; both figures declined over the month.

Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 0.4 percent, seasonally adjusted, for the 3-month period ending December 2010, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Both wages and salaries (which make up about 70 percent of compensation costs) and benefits (which make up the remaining 30 percent of compensation) increased 0.4 percent.

The People's Republic of China (PRC) needs to reform its rural financial system if it is to tackle poverty in the countryside and allow agriculture and local businesses to play a strong, long-term role in the domestic economy, says a new book from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The worldwide mobile phone market grew 17.9% in the fourth quarter of 2010 (4Q10), a new quarterly high driven by smartphones. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Mobile Phone Tracker, vendors shipped 401.4 million units in 4Q10 compared to 340.5 million units in the fourth quarter of 2009. Vendors shipped a total of 1.39 billion units on a cumulative worldwide basis in 2010, up 18.5% from the 1.17 billion units shipped in 2009.