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A significant number of Americans have less confidence in the financial-services industry today than they did in the immediate aftermath of the Wall Street meltdown, according to a survey released today by AlixPartners, the global business-advisory firm.

While the U.S. economy is showing signs of recovery, the average U.S. consumer remains in financial distress – despite a significant pullback in household spending. These conclusions are among several key findings of the CredAbility Consumer Distress Index, a new quarterly measure that tracks shifts in the financial condition of the average American household.

The late ‘90s mantra of “Show me the money” has morphed into “Show me the value,” reflecting a new focus by consumers hungry for value in all its forms, according to Convergys’ recently completed 2010 Consumer Scorecard Research study. UK consumers want the companies with which they do business to value them, value their time, value their money, and value their preferences, say the study findings, released by Convergys Corporation, a global leader in relationship management.

Although U.S. employers view controlling health care costs as their highest health care reform priority, few believe that the recently enacted Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will stem the tide of rising costs, according to a May 2010 survey by Towers Watson, a global professional services company. Despite these anticipated increases, nearly three-quarters of all large employers (74%) expect to continue to provide subsidized health care coverage for active employees.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® increased in May, its third consecutive monthly gain. The Index now stands at 63.3 (1985=100), up from 57.7 in April. The Present Situation Index increased to 30.2 from 28.2. The Expectations Index improved to 85.3 from 77.4 last month.

In March 2010 compared with February 2010, the euro area (EA16) industrial new orders index rose by 5.2%. In February the index increased by 1.9%. In the EU27, new orders gained 5.9% in March 2010 after a rise of 1.1% in February. Excluding ships, railway & aerospace equipment, for which changes tend to be more volatile, industrial new orders grew by 4.5% in the euro area and by 5.0% in the EU27.

Capital One Small Business Banking released the results of its Q1 2010 Small Business Barometer, a quarterly survey of small businesses across the nation gauging their current financial condition and business projections for the next six months. A large majority (nearly 80 percent) of the small business owners surveyed in the first quarter of this year believe that economic conditions are either improving or holding steady. In addition, 39 percent of small business owners report that their company’s financial situation is better than it was last year (an increase of 11 percentage points over fourth quarter results) while 38 percent say that the firm’s finances have been stable over the past 12 months.

As U.S. employers continue to digest the provisions within the health care reform law, a new survey by Hewitt Associates, a global human resources consulting and outsourcing company, found most companies that offer pre-65 retiree medical benefits intend to apply for the Early Retiree Reinsurance Program (ERRP) to offset a portion of health care claims costs for retirees ages 55 to 64 and their families.

A majority of U.S. workers plan to rely on their employer-provided health care coverage now and in the future, according to a survey of more than 3,000 American workers and their dependents, conducted jointly by the National Business Group on Health and Hewitt Associates. However, more than one-third would consider dropping their employer-provided health insurance if they become eligible to purchase similar coverage through other avenues.

Worldwide IT spending has rebounded strongly from the Great Recession, as many businesses take advantage of the general economic recovery to catch up with overdue spending on critical hardware infrastructure. Market data from International Data Corporation (IDC) shows capital spending on PCs, servers, storage, and network equipment soaring in recent quarters, producing strong year-over-year growth comparisons with the lowest period of the recession. Meanwhile, consumer spending on smartphones has continued to accelerate.