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Housing Recovery Continues At Slow Pace According To Latest Leading Markets Index
07 Aug, 2014 • Helen Thomas
August 7, 2014 Markets in 56 of the approximately 350 metro areas nationwide returned to or exceeded their last normal levels of economic and housing activity, according to the National Association of Home Builders/First American Leading Markets Index (LMI), released today. This represents a year-over-year net gain of seven markets. The index’s nationwide score moved... Read more »
Labor Markets Mixed Across Advanced Economies
07 Aug, 2014 • Helen Thomas
August 7, 2014 Steady Improvement Builds In U.S., Uncertainty Continues In Europe Labor markets were mixed across the advanced economies, according to unemployment rates and employment growth data compiled and standardized by The Conference Board International Labor Comparisons (ILC) program for June 2014. Unemployment rates in June fell in three of the nine countries compared... Read more »
Synergy Savings Keep Climbing At Office Depot
07 Aug, 2014 • Helen Thomas
August 5, 2014 Office Depot softened the blow of weak second quarter sales by bumping up the pace of 400 store closings to drive greater than expected operating profit growth and expense savings related to the merger with OfficeMax. Office Depot merged with Office Max last November and shortly thereafter announced plans to close 400... Read more »
Top 2014 Back-To-School And College Trends
07 Aug, 2014 • Helen Thomas
Source: National Retail Federation
CVS’s Portfolio Of Enterprise Assets Drives ‘Strong’ Q2 Performance
07 Aug, 2014 • Helen Thomas
August 5, 2014 As today’s healthcare market continues to evolve, CVS Caremark’s portfolio of enterprise assets is enabling the company to provide innovative solutions and products that are delivering results, as evidenced by its “strong” second quarter results released Tuesday morning. “As the health care environment evolves we are uniquely positioned to address the quality,... Read more »
Whole Foods Keeps Growing, Just Not As Fast
06 Aug, 2014 • Helen Thomas
July 30, 2014 Same-store sales continue to decelerate at Whole Foods as the nation’s leading natural and organic grocer continues to face traffic and ticket pressures caused by upstart rivals and established competitors. Whole Foods sales in the second quarter ended July 6 increased 10% to nearly $3.4 billion from $3 billion the prior year... Read more »
Target Issues Preliminary Q2 Update
06 Aug, 2014 • Helen Thomas
August 5, 2014 Just a few days after naming a new CEO, Target issued a preliminary update on its second quarter expenses related, in part, to the December 2013 data breach. The company’s financial results are expected to include gross expenses of $148 million, partially offset by a $38 million insurance receivable, related to the... Read more »
July 2014 Manufacturing ISM Report On Business – PMI At 57.1%
05 Aug, 2014 • Helen Thomas
August 1, 2014 New Orders, Employment and Production Growing; Inventories Growing; Supplier Deliveries Slowing Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in July for the 14th consecutive month, and the overall economy grew for the 62nd consecutive month, say the nation’s supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report on Business. The report was issued... Read more »
Online Labor Demand Edged Down 15,500 In July
05 Aug, 2014 • Helen Thomas
July 30, 2014 Following a strong June increase of 155,900, July showed a small loss States were mixed with about half showing small gains Online advertised vacancies showed a small drop of 15,500 to 5,044,600 in July, according to The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine Data Services. The June Supply/Demand rate stands at 1.9 unemployed... Read more »