D.C. Stribling
Economy Watch: Retail Sales See Healthy Uptick in March
Most retail categories did better this March compared with last year, with car sales driving most of the monthly gain, the Census Bureau reported.
Economy Watch: More Rate Hikes Likely This Year
The Federal Reserve announced its plans for “gradual” interest rate increases due to the strength of the U.S. economy, according to the recently released Federal Open Market Committee meeting minutes.
Economy Watch: Austin Tops Best Places to Live Ranking
The capital of Texas ranked No.1 for the second year in a row on U.S. News & World Report’s annual ranking of the best places to live in the U.S.
Economy Watch: State Labor Markets, Construction Costs Stay in Growth Mode
Over the past three months, all 50 states have posted increases in the Philadelphia Fed’s index of economic indicators. Construction materials prices in March were up 5.8 percent year over year, the Associated Builders and Contractors reported, even as declining natural gas prices help mask rapidly rising costs in other categories.
Economy Watch: Most Metros Enjoying Lower Unemployment Than a Year Ago
Unemployment rates were lower in February than a year earlier in 319 of the 388 U.S. metro areas, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Economy Watch: More Nonresidential Developments in Planning in March
In March, six projects each with a value of $100 million or more entered planning, according to Dodge Data & Analytics latest report.
Economy Watch: Employment Growth Slows to 103K Net New Jobs in March
Employment gains in January and February were also revised, totaling 50,000 less jobs than previously reported, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Economy Watch: Cold-Storage Space Faces Paradigm Shift
As online grocery sales eat up market share of overall sales in the sector, more than 35 million square feet of U.S. cold-storage space will shift from retail stores to warehouses and distribution centers, according to a new CBRE report.
Economy Watch: Construction Spending Edged Up in February
A considerable drop in public construction spending brought down the overall increase for the month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Economy Watch: CRE Prices Up in March, Except Industrial
Gains in four of the five property segments were enough to outweigh a 0.5 percent decline in the industrial pricing, according to Ten-X’s March Commercial Real Estate Nowcast.