Menu

Real average hourly earnings for all employees was unchanged from July to August, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. This result stems from a 0.3 percent increase in average hourly earnings, which was offset by a 0.3 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U).

The storm has ebbed, but the U.S. economic forecast remains overcast, according to a report released today by TD Economics.

Household-products (HHP) companies, especially small and medium-sized manufacturers, may face an inhospitable future as about 70% of consumers say they now shop for home cleaning products, kitchenware and paper products based on price alone, while approximately 50% say they will spend less on these types of products in the coming year. That’s according to a study released by AlixPartners LLP, the global business-advisory firm.

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.3 percent in August on a seasonally adjusted basis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. (Before seasonal adjustment, the all items index increased 0.1 percent for the month.) Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 1.1 percent before seasonal adjustment.

The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods increased 0.4 percent in August, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. This rise followed a 0.2-percent advance in July and a 0.5-percent decline in June. At the earlier stages of processing, prices received by manufacturers of intermediate goods moved up 0.3 percent in August, and the crude goods index climbed 2.3 percent. On an unadjusted basis, prices for finished goods increased 3.1 percent for the 12 months ended August 2010, their tenth straight year-over-year rise.

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 July 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 current mobile subscribers age 13 and older, and reviewed the most popular activities and content accessed via the subscriber’s primary mobile phone. The July report found Samsung to be the top handset manufacturer overall with 23.1 percent market share, while RIM led among smartphone platforms with 39.9 percent market share.

Mortgage rates moved lower this week, with the average conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate retreating to 4.54 percent, according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.37 discount and origination points.

Real-life lessons in frugal living continue to influence the financial habits of middle-class families, with roughly half of back-to-school shoppers planning to cut spending again this year.

U.S. import prices increased 0.6 percent in August, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported, after rising 0.1 percent the previous month. Higher fuel and nonfuel prices contributed to the overall advance. Export prices rose 0.8 percent in August after declining 0.2 percent in July and 0.7 percent in June.

The median number of years that wage and salary workers had been with their current employer was 4.4 in January 2010, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. This measure, referred to as employee tenure, was 4.1 years in January 2008. The increase in tenure among those at work reflects, in part, relatively large job losses among less-senior workers in the most recent recession.