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FedEx Office (formerly FedEx Kinko’s), an operating company of FedEx Corp. released the results of its second annual Signs of the Times national small business survey. The findings show 54 percent of respondents were very concerned about the current economy’s impact on their business, up from 40 percent in 2008. Another 39 percent reported they were moderately concerned. Despite this anxiety, 75 percent of those polled were confident they will be open for business at this time next year and almost half (46 percent) said they would be willing to open another small business today if they had the proper financial backing.

Consumer attitudes toward diesel engines are becoming more favorable. According to the Morpace Powertrain Acceptance & Consumer Engagement (PACE) study, 62 percent of new vehicle owners feel that diesel powered vehicles have "gotten better" over the past 10 years. And more than one-third (35 percent) now say they will consider clean diesel technology for their next vehicle.

Amid the growing concerns about the current economy, small business owners continue to recognize having a solid retirement plan as an important issue both personally and to their employees. This is according to survey results released by SunTrust Banks, Inc. Yet, despite this acknowledgement, almost 40 percent of small businesses do not offer retirement plan options to employees - citing affordability (90 percent), ease of use once the program is implemented (89 percent), ease of setting up a program (87 percent), fee transparency (87 percent) and quality and range of investment alternatives available (87 percent) as the main barriers.

Median weekly earnings of the nation's 100.4 million full-time wage and salary workers were $738 in the first quarter of 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported. This was 2.6 percent higher than a year earlier. The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was unchanged over the same period.

Intense financial pressure during the economic crisis has led to an increase of fraud, according to a survey of fraud experts conducted by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). Results of the survey, published in the new ACFE report "Occupational Fraud: A Study of the Impact of an Economic Recession," also found that layoffs are pervasive and are leaving holes in organizations' internal control systems.

The latest information from The NPD Group, Inc.’s Economy Tracker shows consumer confidence continues to decline, albeit slightly, while intent to spend at retail remains steady, indicating that consumers may have reached their cost cutting limits.

Most Americans appear to be waiting out the economic crisis before buying or selling a home, suggesting the U.S. housing market may not return to normal for at least a year or two, according to a poll conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Mortgage rates were down slightly this week, with the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate dipping to 5.18 percent. According to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey, the average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.44 discount and origination points.

The New York Employee Confidence Index increased 3.2 points to 41.6 in March, according to the latest Spherion(R) Employment Report. The monthly survey of New York workers, conducted by Harris Interactive(R) on behalf of Spherion Corporation, shows that more workers are confident in their ability to find a new job, and more workers believe they are unlikely to lose their current position.

Real average weekly earnings were about unchanged from February to March after seasonal adjustment, according to preliminary data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. A 0.3 percent decrease in average weekly hours was offset by a 0.2 percent increase in average hourly earnings and a 0.1 percent decrease in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).