Dees Stribling
Economy Watch: GDP Up 3.2% in 3Q
U.S. real GDP growth improved a bit in the third quarter, indicating economic growth remains steady as we head into 2018.
Economy Watch: Architects Remain in Demand in November
The American Institute of Architects’ Architecture Billings Index came in at 55.0, up from the previous month, meaning demand for U.S. architecture firms’ design services remains strong.
Economy Watch: Retailers Under Pressure to Handle Online Returns Efficiently
Retailers will be in for a challenge to successfully handle the expected $32 billion in online returns this year, according to a recent CBRE report.
Economy Watch: Record Number of Americans to Travel for Holidays This Year
This year marks the ninth consecutive year of rising year-end holiday travel, with 2017 volume set to be the highest year-end travel volume on record, according to AAA.
Economy Watch: Rate Hike Signals Fed’s Upbeat Outlook
The Federal Reserve’s decision to raise interest rates was driven by its positive view of the U.S. labor market and overall economic growth, according to the Federal Open Market Committee’s latest meeting report.
Economy Watch: Retail Sales Surge in November
Most retail categories enjoyed higher sales for the month and all types had positive sales growth for the year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Economy Watch: Construction Industry Gains Jobs, But Still Short Workers
The sector’s unemployment rate increased by 0.5 percent in November, now standing at 5 percent, according to the Associated Builders and Contractors latest report.
Economy Watch: U.S. Gains 228K Jobs in November
Office-using industries, health care and construction all posted increases as the headline unemployment rate of 4.1 percent remained unchanged.
Economy Watch: Service-Sector Activity Slows a Bit, But Still Robust
The IHS Markit Business Activity Index was down a bit in November, IHS Market Ltd. recently reported, but the overall rate of economic growth is still strong.
Economy Watch: Construction Spending Edges up in October
Most of the month’s gain was in the nonresidential construction sector, as multifamily construction spending dropped in October, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s latest report.