Economy

The Inland Empire economy will take a hit, perhaps a severe one, if President Trump’s 125 percent tariff against China remains in place, according to one local economist. That damage likely will begin with half-empty warehouses, and be followed by a loss of logistics jobs perhaps as soon as this …

California’s labor force grew twice as much in 2024 than originally estimated, according to a Los Angeles-based economics firm. The state’s employment numbers were also mildly overestimated during that time, Beacon Economics stated in a report based on revised data released by the California Employment Department. Between December 2023 and …

At least for now, Inland Empire manufacturing is in excellent shape. The region’s purchasing managers index was 65.7 in March, up 5.7 month-over-month and the sixth consecutive month of expansion, according to the Institute of Applied Research and Policy Analysis at Cal State San Bernardino. Manufacturing in Riverside and San …

California exported $14.8 billion worth of goods in February, a 7.3 percent year-over-year increase, according to a report. At the same time, U.S. exports totaled $167.6 billion, essentially unchanged from 2024, Beacon Economics in Los Angeles reported. California’s share of the nation’s merchandise export trade rose to 8.8 percent, from …

U.S. retail sales will grow between 2.7 and 3.7 percent this year compared with 2024, with sales expected to total between $5.42 trillion and $5.48 trillion by the end of this year, according to the National Retail Federation in Washington, D.C. The 2025 sales forecast compares with 3.6 percent annual sales …

The Inland Empire recorded a 5.1 percent unemployment rate in February, down slightly from January and below the 5.2 estimate of one year earlier. That compares with the state’s 5.4 percent – same as January – and a 4.5 percent jobless rate nationwide, according to the state Employment Development Department. …