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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 May 2010 compared to the preceding three-month average. 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 age 13 and older, and reviewed the most popular activities and content accessed via the subscriber’s primary mobile phone. The May report found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 22.4 percent market share, while RIM led among smartphone platforms with 41.7 percent market share.

Mortgage rates hit record lows again this week, with the average conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate inching lower to 4.74 percent, according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.39 discount and origination points.

A majority of information technology (IT) industry firms expect revenues during the second half of 2010 to outpace the first six months of the year, according to the latest CompTIA IT Industry Business Confidence Index.

Social networking has become a mainstream business tool. A new global survey commissioned by global workplace solutions provider Regus revealed that 35 percent of U.S. businesses have successfully used social networks to win new business, reinforcing the impact that social media has had on corporations. However the U.S. lags slightly behind the global average in this regard, with 40 percent of businesses globally having successfully leveraged social media tools for business development.

Euro area (EA16) and EU27 GDP both increased by 0.2% during the first quarter of 2010, compared with the previous quarter, according to second estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In the fourth quarter of 2009, growth rates were +0.1% in the euro area and +0.2% in the EU27.

Consumer confidence continued to decline as fewer consumers see economic conditions or their personal finances improving in the month ahead, according to the Discover U.S. Spending Monitor for June 2010.

Research published by global management consulting firm Hay Group reveals that 26% of U.S. companies have already increased or plan to increase the proportion of variable pay in their employees’ pay programs. This compares to only 12% of organizations globally that have decreased or plan to decrease the proportion of variable pay. The shift also brings a renewed focus on performance, with 66% of U.S. companies (and 71% globally) reporting they have already changed or plan to change the performance metrics in their variable pay programs. Approximately 40% of the organizations in the U.S. and nearly half (47%) of companies globally have already increased or are planning to increase performance thresholds in plans as well.

OECD countries need to create 17 million jobs to get employment levels back to where they were before the crisis, according to the OECD’s Employment Outlook 2010 a new OECD report.

A majority of Americans report that quality customer service is more important to them in today’s economic environment (61%) and will spend an average of 9% more when they believe a company provides excellent service. However, in a challenging economy where growth is harder to achieve, many businesses are missing out on this opportunity.

From January to May, the total investment in real estate development was 1,391.7 billion yuan, up by 38.2 percent year-on-year. Of which, investment in commercial residential buildings reached 964.3 billion yuan, 35.7 percent of increase year-on-year, which occupied 69.3 percent of the investment in real estate development. In May, the completion of investment in real estate development was 398.5 billion yuan, increased 64.8 billion yuan and 19.4 percent over last month.