U.S. retail sales are off to a good start in 2024. Total sales, not counting automobiles and gasoline, in January were essentially unchanged month-over-month and were up 2.3 percent compared with January 2023, according to the National Retail Federation. “January sales continued the strong performance of retail sales in December, …
Read More »State exports drop slightly
California’s share of U.S. exports was essentially unchanged in December – 8.9 percent – compared with the previous two months, according to a report released Feb. 7. The state’s s export trade during the final month of last year was worth $14.883 billion, down 2.2 percent year-over-year, while exports of …
Read More »Super Bowl expected to attract record number of TV viewers
A record 200.5 million people will watch the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49’ers do battle in Sunday’s Super Bowl, according to the National Retail Federation in Washington, D.C. About 112 million people will host or attend a Super Bowl party, and another 16 million say they plan …
Read More »Office market posts mixed numbers
The Inland Empire office market recorded 9.5 percent vacancy during the fourth quarter of 2023, a year-over-year increase of little more than one percent, according to data released Monday. Despite that, “the Inland Empire office market has upheld robust market fundamentals by catering to its primarily local population,” which has …
Read More »Empire manufacturing records strong month
Inland Empire manufacturing gave itself some breathing room in January. The region’s purchasing managers index was 54.8 last month, a substantial improvement from the 49.6 index recorded in December, according to data released Feb. 1. More important, January ended three consecutive months of indexes below 50, the Institute of Applied …
Read More »Strong consumer spending expected for Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day spending is expected to reach $25.8 billion this year, including $14.2 billion spent on “significant others,” according to the National Retail Federation. “Retailers are ready to help customers this Valentine’s Day with meaningful and memorable gifts,” said Matthew Shay, the federation’s president and chief executive officer, in the …
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