An estimated 146,000 non-farm jobs were added to U.S. payrolls in February, according to its D&B's U.S Economic Health Tracker, a monthly, multi-dimensional perspective on the U.S. economy, including small business health, total job growth, and overall U.S. business health.
More than a third of manufacturing firms in the small and mid-sized business (SMB) sector expect the economy to strengthen in the coming six months, while nearly half expect it to remain the same, according to the results of the second annual Sage Manufacturing Survey announced by Sage North America. Respondents also anticipate an increase in orders, production and exports.
D&B announced the launch of its monthly U.S Economic Health Tracker, which provides a multidimensional perspective on the U.S. economy, with insights across key sectors of the U.S. economy, including small business health, total job growth, and overall U.S. business health.
Economists working for U.S. businesses are more optimistic about growth this year and see little effect from the start of healthcare reform or the reduction in a key Federal Reserve stimulus program, according to survey results released Monday.
Hong Kong has maintained its status as the world's freest economy, a distinction that it has achieved for 20 consecutive years. The nomination was made in the 20th anniversary edition of the Index of Economic Freedom, published jointly by The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal.
There are cyclical industries, and there's the defense industry. In wartime, billions of additional dollars flow to defense contractors from the U.S. government, and in peacetime, Congress tightens the money spigot. It's a cycle that all contractors are used to, except this time around there's an added dimension: the Budget Control Act of 2011 and sequestration.
Global hiring conditions are expected to remain stable or improve slightly at the start of the new year, as many employers appear to remain resilient in the face of ongoing economic uncertainty and other disruptions. This is according to the Manpower Employment Outlook Survey, which canvassed more than 65,000 employers from 42 countries and territories.
Why the pessimism about the economy? Last Monday, we learned that U.S. factories are expanding at their fastest pace in more than two years, capping the manufacturing industry's best six-month period since the recession ended in June 2009.
Sixty percent of CFOs believe the state of the U.S. economy will remain the same or worsen during the next six months, according to the Grant Thornton LLP 2013 Fall CFO Survey. The survey reflects the insights of more than 1,600 CFOs and other senior financial executives across the United States.
