Menu

In August, the total value added of the industrial enterprises above designated size was up 12.3 percent year-on-year, or 0.5 percentage points lower than that in August 2008, or 1.5 percentage point higher than that in July 2009; it was the fourth consecutive month which witnessed a acceleration of year-on-year growth.

In July 2009 compared with June 2009, seasonally adjusted industrial production fell by 0.3% in the euro area (EA16) and by 0.2% in the EU27. In June production decreased by 0.2% and 0.1% respectively.

The number of persons employed in the euro area (EA16) fell by 0.5% (702 000 persons) in the second quarter of 2009 compared with the previous quarter, according to national accounts estimates published by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities.

The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index moved up again in August, reaching its highest point since before the start of the recession. The Index attempts to track consumer cash flow as an indicator of future consumer spending.

Women presidents have shown they can adjust to the changing economic climate. Results from the surveyed membership indicate 55% of women presidents and CEOs of multi-million dollar companies have maintained or grown their employee base, according to the annual economic survey by the Women Presidents' Organization (WPO), the premier peer advisory organization for women entrepreneurs. Despite the economic downturn, 82% of these CEOs and presidents are optimistic about their company's performance for 2010.

Advisors Trusted Advisor recently surveyed financial advisors on the state of their business-building efforts. Survey responses provide an in-depth view into what's working and what's not.

As American consumers shift their buying behavior towards more fuel efficient vehicles, turbocharging - already in use by roughly half of new vehicles in Europe - has emerged as the engine technology U.S. consumers "didn't know they wanted."

Re-entering the workforce in today's job market can be a daunting task, especially for those returning from military service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Earlier this year, the Labor Department reported an 11.2 percent jobless rate for Gulf War veterans over 18 years old, 4 percentage points higher than the previous year. A new survey from CareerBuilder is offering some encouraging news with 41 percent of employers reporting they have hired U.S. veterans or members of the National Guard in the last six months. One-in-five (21 percent) are actively recruiting veterans and members of the National Guard for open positions today.

RealtyTrac released its August 2009 U.S. Foreclosure Market Report(TM), which shows foreclosure filings - default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions - were reported on 358,471 U.S. properties during the month, a decrease of less than 1 percent from the previous month but still an increase of nearly 18 percent from August 2008. The report also shows one in every 357 U.S. housing units received a foreclosure filing in August.

Employers spent an average of $1.29 for employee retirement and savings plans for every hour worked in June 2009, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. This accounted for 4.4 percent of total compensation.