Retail sales picked up in January after a slump in December despite fears of high inflation, and the U.S. hitting its peak number of Omicron cases last month. The increase indicates a robust economy. January retail sales were up 3.8 percent from December, according to a Census Bureau report on […]
Other News
Independent Builders are Feeling the Crunch of High Lumber Prices and Scarcity of Supplies
by Juliet Jeske 6/6/21 Don Stockell, a custom home builder in Eureka, Missouri gets a lot of phone calls from potential new clients these days. He’s getting plenty of interest but some have sat down for multiple consultations, had detailed plans drawn up, only to change their mind when the […]
Five Things to Look for in the May ISM Report
by Juliet Jeske May 31, 2021 The Institute for Supply Management’s Report on Business releases details on the U.S. manufacturing sector on Tuesday. Economists predict the manufacturing sector will continue to show strong signs of growth while grappling with shortages and rising prices of raw materials and supplies. The ISM creates […]
RARE EARTH SUPPLY CHAIN MAY MAKE A COMEBACK IN THE U.S.
A year and a half ago, a consultant approached executives at Energy Fuels, a uranium producer in southeast Utah, with an intriguing possibility. Energy Fuels could use its uranium technology and permits to enter the business of rare earths––a crucial component in nearly every electronic device manufactured today.
Five Things to Watch for in March Case Shiller Report
This Tuesday morning will mark the release of the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller index with data covering home prices for March 2021. All eyes will be on whether or not the housing market has been able to maintain its exponential growth. Here are five things you should look out for in […]
Reluctance to raise wages in restaurants leaves uncertainty for future growth
Adam Orman hoped that a raise in wages would convince restaurant workers to come back. Instead, he says, he’s seeing hiring numbers that are far below what he considered a good period in the industry. Cooper, the owner and general manager of L’Oca d’Oro in Austin, Texas, says that he […]
U.S. furniture shortage sparked by pandemic amongst other pitfalls
When Jaheed Carr’s work went fully online last July and he was no longer restricted to living close to his office, he decided it was time to buy a new house. There was just one problem: The furniture he ordered took more than four months to be delivered. “I paid […]
Seasonal worker shortage threatens Ocean City’s bounce-back summer
Come Memorial Day weekend, Steve Pastusak, general manager of Jolly Roger Amusements, in Ocean City, Maryland will be thrilled as ever to have his regular flow of guests back at the company’s four amusement parks, which include boardwalk rides, a water park, and the largest go-kart facility on the east […]
As Consumers Remain Conflicted on In-Person Work, Spending on Furniture Expected to Grow
Alan Desk Business Interior was about to open its second location when the coronavirus pandemic hit last March. But unlike other businesses that saw their revenues collapse, Alan Desk was able to make a turn-around with its new space. The four-generation family-owned business, based in Los Angeles, CA, sells American-made […]
More coding academies going remote is part of a changing job training landscape
Sarah Palmer was feeling burnt out and ready to leave her job in the addiction and mental health field in Dayton, Ohio, even before the COVID-19 pandemic began. Then the pandemic added stress to her job, while also showing her that working from home appealed to her. So in February, […]
