Tag Archives: economy

The National Retail Federation reported that December retail sales, which exclude automobiles, gas stations and restaurants, increased 0.4 percent seasonally adjusted month-to-month, and 4.6 percent unadjusted year-over-year. Total holiday retail sales, which include November and December sales, increased 3.8 percent …

The National Retail Federation issued the following statements from NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay and Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz on the December jobs report: “The nation’s retailers continued to add to their payrolls in December even in the midst …

Remodelers are expecting to have a solid 2014, according to Qualified Remodeler magazine’s annual online market forecast survey. Of those who responded to the survey, 78 percent reported having either an excellent or good outlook on the year ahead, an …

Consumer confidence is making strides, recovering from pre-government shutdown levels, according to the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index®. The index, which had decreased in November, rebounded in December, now standing at 78.1, up from 72.0 the month prior. “Consumer confidence rebounded …

Most retailers know there are just some things beyond their control. For those heavily selling building materials and lumber, constant changes in commodities pricing are almost always at the top of that list of variables. Between slowed domestic new-home construction …

Entrepreneur Bill Brown had scaled back his San Jose, Calif., construction firm as demand for new Silicon Valley homes and offices dried up in recent years, cutting his staff by two-thirds, to 50 by late 2011. But over the course …

Home prices are rising, and so are mortgage rates, making it tough for would-be buyers, particularly first-time purchasers, to close a deal on a new place. Meanwhile, the looming threats of new mortgage rules and pending housing-finance reform are adding …