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A macro-economic indicator, SpendingPulse reports on national retail and service sales and is based on aggregate sales activity in the MasterCard payments network, coupled with survey-based estimates for certain other payment forms, such as cash and check. MasterCard SpendingPulse does not represent MasterCard financial performance. SpendingPulse is provided by MasterCard Advisors, the professional services arm of MasterCard Worldwide.

In 2008, most CIOs were forgiven for being unprepared to deal with the global recession, but if another recession unfolds in the next 12 to 18 months, no CIO will be forgiven for being unprepared a second time, according to Gartner, Inc.

comScore, Inc., a leader in measuring the digital world, released data from the comScore MobiLens service, reporting key trends in the U.S. mobile phone industry during the three month average period ending May 2010 compared to the preceding three-month average. The report ranked the leading mobile original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and smartphone operating system (OS) platforms in the U.S. according to their share of current mobile subscribers age 13 and older, and reviewed the most popular activities and content accessed via the subscriber’s primary mobile phone. The May report found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 22.4 percent market share, while RIM led among smartphone platforms with 41.7 percent market share.

Mortgage rates hit record lows again this week, with the average conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate inching lower to 4.74 percent, according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.39 discount and origination points.

A majority of information technology (IT) industry firms expect revenues during the second half of 2010 to outpace the first six months of the year, according to the latest CompTIA IT Industry Business Confidence Index.

Social networking has become a mainstream business tool. A new global survey commissioned by global workplace solutions provider Regus revealed that 35 percent of U.S. businesses have successfully used social networks to win new business, reinforcing the impact that social media has had on corporations. However the U.S. lags slightly behind the global average in this regard, with 40 percent of businesses globally having successfully leveraged social media tools for business development.

Consumer confidence continued to decline as fewer consumers see economic conditions or their personal finances improving in the month ahead, according to the Discover U.S. Spending Monitor for June 2010.

Research published by global management consulting firm Hay Group reveals that 26% of U.S. companies have already increased or plan to increase the proportion of variable pay in their employees’ pay programs. This compares to only 12% of organizations globally that have decreased or plan to decrease the proportion of variable pay. The shift also brings a renewed focus on performance, with 66% of U.S. companies (and 71% globally) reporting they have already changed or plan to change the performance metrics in their variable pay programs. Approximately 40% of the organizations in the U.S. and nearly half (47%) of companies globally have already increased or are planning to increase performance thresholds in plans as well.

A majority of Americans report that quality customer service is more important to them in today’s economic environment (61%) and will spend an average of 9% more when they believe a company provides excellent service. However, in a challenging economy where growth is harder to achieve, many businesses are missing out on this opportunity.

Interest in clean diesel and gasoline turbocharged direct-injection engines has increased in the last year while challenges exist in the adoption of electric cars. These are some of the findings in the recent Powertrain Acceptance and Consumer Engagement (PACE) syndicated study released by Morpace Inc.