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Euro area (EA16) GDP increased by 0.3% and EU27 GDP by 0.5% during the third quarter of 2010, compared with the previous quarter, according to second estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In the second quarter of 2010, growth rates were +1.0% in both zones.

The unemployment rate fell by 0.4 percentage point to 9.4 percent in December, and nonfarm payroll employment increased by 103,000, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Employment rose in leisure and hospitality and in health care but was little changed in other major industries.

Employed job seekers have been waiting out the recession for years before embarking on a new job search, and many experts are finally predicting 2011 could be their year for change. Monster.com®, the leading job matching engine and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide, Inc., recently asked job seekers about their plans for 2011 and found that an overwhelming majority (98%) of Americans polled indicated they are primed and ready to pursue new job opportunities in 2011.

comScore, Inc., a leader in measuring the digital world, released data from the comScore MobiLens service, reporting key trends in the U.S. mobile phone industry during the three month average period ending November 2010. The report ranked the leading mobile original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and smartphone operating system (OS) platforms in the U.S. according to their share of current mobile subscribers ages 13 and older, and reviewed the most popular activities and content accessed via the subscriber’s primary mobile phone. The November report found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 24.5 percent market share, while RIM led among smartphone platforms with 33.5 percent market share.

The December CBIZ Small Business Employment Index, which is designed to serve as a barometer for hiring trends among companies with 300 or fewer employees, showed its largest percentage employee increase since June of last year. The uptick is an indication that hiring has improved and confidence among small business owners is on the rise.

Mortgage rates continue to yo-yo up and down, with the average rate on the benchmark conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate falling back to 4.94 percent, according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.42 discount and origination points.

The outlook for the Canadian banking sector is stable for 2011 as most institutions remain on solid footing after weathering the past few years better than banks in many other developed markets, according to Fitch Ratings.

comScore, a leader in measuring the digital world, reported that retail e-commerce spending for the entire November – December 2010 holiday season reached $32.6 billion, marking a 12-percent increase versus last year and an all-time record for the season.

In November 2010, compared with October 2010, the volume of retail trade fell by 0.8% in the euro area (EA16) and by 0.4% in the EU27. In October retail trade remained stable in the euro area and rose by 0.1% in the EU27.

Online advertised vacancies were basically unchanged as they dipped 9,400 in December to 4,447,800, according to The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine™ (HWOL) Data Series. The nation’s Supply/Demand rate stood at 3.39 unemployed for every advertised vacancy in November (the last available unemployment data) - a figure that is down from a peak of 4.73 in October 2009. Nationally, there are 10.7 million more unemployed than advertised vacancies.