Economy

Growing fears about tariffs caused retail spending to decline slightly between January and February, according to the National Retail Federation. Total retail sales, not counting automobile sales and gasoline, fell 0.22 percent between the first and second month of 2025, but rose 3.8 percent year-over-year, the trade association in Washington, D.C. …

Inland Empire manufacturing posted its second consecutive solid month in February, the result of more orders, better production and higher employment. The region’s purchasing managers index during the second month of 2025 was 60, up from 56.5 in January and well above the abysmal 42.5 posted at the end of …

California exported an estimated $14.9 million in goods in January, a 7.8 percent year-over-year increase, according to a report. During the same period, U.S. exports rose by 1.3 percent, to $172.779 billion, Beacon Economics in Los Angeles reported. California’s share of national exports during the first month of 2025 was …

The Inland Empire economy faces a dire threat from artificial intelligence, more so than other parts of California due to the fact that the two-county region has so many service sector jobs, according to a local economist. “AI is not coming, it’s already here, and it’s a direct threat to …

Nationwide retail sales posted a strong year-over-year gain in January – 5.4 percent – despite a letdown following a better-than-expected holiday shopping season. Total retail sales, not counting automobiles and gasoline, were down one percent between November and December, according to data compiled by the Retail Monitor for CNBC and …

California’s export trade was valued at $14.9 billion in December, essentially unchanged from one year earlier. During the same 12-month period, state exports fell to $166.072 billion from $167.724 billion, and California’s percentage of national exports – nine percent – was also effectively the same year-over-year, according to Beacon Economics …