"Consumer confidence improved slightly in May, as consumers assessed current conditions, in particular the labor market, more favorably," said Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators at the Conference Board. "Expectations regarding the short-term outlook for the economy, jobs, and personal finances were also more upbeat."
Read More »U.S. Unemployment Drops to 6.3%; Adds 288,000 Jobs
According to the latest report from the Labor Department, the rate of unemployment last month fell to 6.3 percent, down nearly half a percentage point after a flat March. At an estimated 9.8 million, the number of unemployed people was down by 733,000. Employers across the country added 288,000 jobs to their payrolls in April, bringing the unemployment rate down to a new post-crash low.
Read More »Inequality Marks Recovery; Home Prices to Stabilize
The Demand Institute, a non-advocacy, non-profit think tank jointly operated by the Conference Board and Nielsen, released Wednesday a new report entitled: "A Tale of 2000 Cities: how the sharp contrast between successful and struggling communities is reshaping America." The report "finds that a large proportion of housing wealth is concentrated in a relatively small proportion of America's cities, towns and villages."
Read More »Consumer Optimism Declines as Uncertainty Lingers
The Surveys of Consumers' Index of Consumer Sentiment dropped to 81.2 in January from December's 82.5. Compared to a year ago, January's survey was up an even 10 percent from 73.8.
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