Wednesday , April 22 2026

Tag Archives: Economy

Valentine’s Day expected to be big payday for retailers

Holiday retail outlook is good, but not great

Valentine’s Day is expected to generate record sales in 2026. An estimated $29.1 billon will be spent by on gifts, flowers and other items leading up to Feb. 14, above last year’s record of $27.5 billion, according to the National Retail Federation. Shoppers are planning to spend an average of …

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Inland employment drops slightly

Inland unemployment rate falls

The Inland Empire posted a 5.1 percent unadjusted unemployment rate in December, down from a revised 5.5 percent in November, according to the state Employment Development Department. Non-agricultural jobs in Riverside and San Bernardino counties increased by 1,000 month-over-month, with trade, transportation and utilities (+3,400) recording the largest increase in …

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Retail sales spiked at end 2025

Holiday retail outlook is good, but not great

Retail sales nationwide surged during the last two months of 2025, as consumers continued to make holiday spending a priority despite some choppy economic waters. Sales from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31 grew 4.1 percent compared with the last two months of 2024, to a little more than $1 trillion, …

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Inland region added jobs in November

The Inland Empire recorded 5.4 percent unemployment in November, adding 18,400 non-agricultural jobs month-over-month, according to a report. California’s jobless rate during the next-to-last month of 2025 was also 5.4 percent, the state Employment Development Department reported. Both the local and state jobless numbers were unadjusted, meaning they don’t take …

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Inland economy faces much uncertainly in 2026

economy

Heading into 2026, the Southern California Association of Governments is less than bullish on the Inland Empire economy. In its 2025 Southern California Economic Update, published in December, the metropolitan planning agency that represents six of the 10 counties Southern California predicts rough economic waters in Riverside and San Bernardino …

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State jobless rate remains stable

State jobless rate remains stable

California’s unemployment rate was 5.6 percent in September, essentially unchanged from the previous two months, according to data released Dec. 12. Four thousand five hundred non-agricultural jobs were lost statewide in September, which was the sixth consecutive month the number of unemployed workers in California has risen, the state Employment …

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