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In the third quarter of 2010, in both the euro area (EA16) and the EU27, the seasonally adjusted household saving rate continued to decrease, while the household investment rate remained unchanged at a low level.

Mortgage rates showed little movement again this week, with the benchmark conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate nosing higher to 4.97 percent according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.44 discount and origination points.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the Euro Area increased 0.8 percent in December to 107.3 (2004 = 100), following a 0.6 percent increase in November and 0.2 percent increase in October.

Global investors are bracing for the end of China’s relentless economic growth, with 45 percent saying they expect a financial crisis there within five years.

Contrary to fears that recent health care legislation will trigger a rapid decline in employer-sponsored health coverage in the U.S., management consulting firm Booz & Company published new research that shows employer-sponsored plans will decline more slowly and less steeply than commonly thought. In fact, by 2016, when most of the major reform provisions are expected to be implemented, employer-sponsored insurance will still comprise more than 50% of the insured market, with 152 million members enrolled in group plans, compared with 62% of the market and 160 million enrolled today. However, the report also indicates that insurers need to prepare for fundamental changes in their business models in the foreseeable future and anticipates a shift toward new, more narrowly targeted health plans with specialized capabilities.

Consumers in the UK are consciously choosing to use debit cards (and other forms of payment) instead of credit cards for day-to-day purchases. This is being driven as a direct result of economic uncertainty, according to data recently published in Cardbeat®, a market research report published by Auriemma Consulting Group (ACG).

Economic growth in the United States and overseas will remain tepid for several years before returning to historical norms, with fixed income returns staying low to the point of offering little or no return above inflation. Equities are not expected to be hurt as much as fixed income as more meaningful growth eventually resumes. These are two of the primary conclusions of Wilmington Trust’s 2011-2017 Capital Markets Forecast, the new installment of the company’s annual long-term outlook for the financial markets.

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally little changed in December. Twenty states recorded unemployment rate increases, 15 states and the District of Columbia registered rate decreases, and 15 states had no rate change, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia posted unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, 16 states reported increases, and 3 states had no change. The national jobless rate fell by 0.4 percentage point between November and December to 9.4 percent, 0.5 point lower than in December 2009.

Two years removed from the depths of recession, CEOs' confidence in future growth has returned to nearly pre-crisis levels, according to PwC's 14th Annual Global CEO Survey. In the worldwide poll of 1,201 CEOs, 48% said they were "very confident" of growth in the next 12 months. That's a major shift from the 31% last year who were "very confident" last year and approaches the 50% reached in 2008 before the onslaught of the economic crisis.

According to the latest Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index survey, conducted in November 2010, 57 percent of business owners surveyed say they plan to make changes in 2011, with 43 percent saying they plan to expand their business operations. Of those respondents who are looking to expand, 56 percent say they intend to add employees.