Economy

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 …

Inland Empire manufacturing roared back to life in January, posting a purchasing managers index of 56.5 amid an across-the-board surge of new orders, production expansion, inventory growth and employment. That performance came one month after the region posted an index of 42.5, well below 50, the dividing line for determining …

Only 15 percent of California households could afford the state’s $874,290 median-priced home in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to the California Association of Realtors. That was a 16 percent drop from the third quarter, but unchanged compared with the fourth quarter of 2023, the Los Angeles-based trade association …

U.S. consumers are expected to spend $27.5 billion on Valentine’s Day this year, according to the National Retail Federation. That would top the $25.8 billion spent last year, and would be slightly higher than the previous record of $27.4 billion spent in 2020, the Washington, D.C.-based trade association reported. Shoppers plan …

California added 15,000 non-agricultural jobs in December, compared with a revised 9,600 jobs added in November, the state Employment Development Department reported. Seven of California’s 11 industry sectors gained jobs during December, with leisure and hospitality (+7,500) the highest-gaining industry group, the EDD reported. The state’s unemployment rate went up …

Heading into 2025, the Inland Empire economy appears to be in relatively good shape. In November, the region’s unemployment rate was 5.3 percent, according to most recent data available from the state Employment Development Department. That’s not an outstanding number, but it matches California’s unemployment rate in 2024, and it’s …