Housing starts in Canada dropped for the fifth consecutive month to 236,554 in October, down by 5.3% from September as builders grappled with shortages of materials and workers. … READ MORE >
pandemic
Retail sales beat expectations in a sign of a strong holiday season
Retail sales rose by 1.7% in October as consumers, flush with cash, signaled a strong start to the final quarter of the year, according to a report from the U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday. … READ MORE >
Canadian business: Preparing for the new normal
Here are some ways business owners can navigate the changing landscape of the Canadian economy as it emerges from the pandemic and prepares for a return to greater normalcy. … READ MORE >
Introducing the RSM US Supply Chain Index: Sustained growth depends on retooling
We have created the RSM US Supply Chain Index to provides a near real-time and forward look for the elements of transportation, manufacturing, sales and labor. … READ MORE >
Despite Zillow’s retreat, iBuyers show promise
Zillow’s exit from its iBuyer venture prompted the question: Is the business model flawed? As recent earnings reports from two of Zillow’s competitors showed, it’s too early to write it off. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Consumer confidence erodes to decade low in November
Concerns over inflation crept into consumer confidence in November, pushing the index from the University of Michigan to a decade low of 66.8 from 71.7 in October, according to data released on Friday. … READ MORE >
Strong labor demand pushed quit rate to a record
Demand for labor showed little change in September as job openings stayed at 10.4 million and the rate of people quitting their jobs reached an all-time high at 3.0%, according to new data on Friday from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Jobless claims approach pre-pandemic level
Claims for jobless benefits continued to signal a steady bounce back of the labor market as new filings declined to a pandemic low of 267,000 for the week ending Nov. 6. … READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Producer prices rise as cost pressures mount
The producer price index inched up 0.6% in October with about a third of the increase coming from higher gasoline prices. … READ MORE >
U.S. October jobs report: Hiring booms as unemployment falls to 4.6%
The October U.S. employment report released on Friday showed an increase of 531,000 jobs and a decline of roughly 255,000 in the jobless rolls as the unemployment rate fell to 4.6%. … READ MORE >