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comScore, Inc.released data from the comScore MobiLens service, reporting key trends in the U.S. mobile phone industry during the three month average period ending February 2012. The study surveyed more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers and found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 25.6 percent market share. Google Android continued to grow its share in the U.S. smartphone market, crossing the 50-percent threshold in February to capture a majority share for the first time in its history.

Online advertised vacancies rose 246,300 in March to 4,669,600, according to The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine® (HWOL) Data Series. The March rise is the fourth consecutive monthly rise. The Supply/Demand rate stands at 2.9 unemployed for every vacancy; however, nationally there are still 8.4 million more unemployed than advertised vacancies.

While the Republicans are still fighting it out for the nomination, President Obama remains out of the election fray and this may be helping his approval ratings hold steady. Just like last month, two in five Americans (40%) give the President positive ratings for the overall job he is doing while three in five (60%) give him negative ratings.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the U.S. increased 0.7 percent in February to 95.5 (2004 = 100), following a 0.2 percent increase in January and a 0.5 percent increase in December.

The Conference Board Employment Trends Index™ (ETI) increased 1.38 percent in February to 107.46, from the revised figure of 105.99 in January. The February figure is also up 6.1 percent from the same month a year ago.

Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 227,000 in February, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 8.3 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Employment rose in professional and businesses services, health care and social assistance, leisure and hospitality, manufacturing, and mining.

Online advertised vacancies rose 39,900 in February to 4,423,300, according to The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine® (HWOL) Data Series. The February rise follows gains in December 2011 and January 2012. The Supply/Demand rate stands at 2.9 unemployed for every vacancy; however, nationally there are still 8.4 million more unemployed than advertised vacancies.

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index®, which had decreased in January, increased in February. The Index now stands at 70.8 (1985=100), up from 61.5 in January. The Present Situation Index increased to 45.0 from 38.8. The Expectations Index rose to 88.0 from 76.7 in January.

Consumer backlash against bank fees, coupled with poor service and unmet customer expectations, has fueled increases in defection rates among customers of large, regional and midsize banks, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 U.S. Bank Customer Switching and Acquisition StudySM.

New-vehicle retail sales performance in February has been strong month-to-date, with the selling rate outperforming January's, according to a monthly sales forecast developed by J.D. Power and Associates Power Information Network® (PIN) and LMC Automotive.