Economy

Manufacturing in the Inland Empire declined for the second consecutive month in November, according to data released last week. The region’s purchasing managers index for the next-to-last month of the year was 49.6, just below the 50 benchmark that determines if manufacturing is growing or receding, according to the Institute of …

A record 196.7 million people shopped during the Thanksgiving weekend, according to a report released Tuesday. That figure, which includes online and traditional “brick-and-mortar” shopping, was a year-over-year increase of nearly 17 million consumers, the National Retail Federation reported. It was also the busiest Thanksgiving weekend – Thanksgiving Day through …

By Phil Bensinger The Federal Reserve continues to try to tame inflation with interest rate hikes. This appears to be the only tool they are willing to try so far. One result from this somewhat myopic approach is that the new home sales market has been decimated. It’s on a …

A little more than 166 million people say they will shop from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday this year, according to the National Retail Federation. If that forecast is accurate it will top last year’s Thanksgiving weekend by about eight million shoppers, the Washington, D.C. trade association reported. That’s the …

The Inland Empire recorded an unadjusted 3.9 percent unemployment rate in October, unchanged from September and well below the 6.1 percent predicted one year ago, according to data released Friday. Statewide, 27,600 non-agricultural jobs were added between September and October, with trade, and transportation adding 12,200 jobs during that time, …

The National Retail Federation is predicting holiday retail sales will rise six to eight percent this year compared with 2021, with total sales expected to land between $942.6 billion and $960.4 billion. Despite persistent inflation, sales should top 4.9 percent in November and December, the average year-over-year increase in Christmas …