h digitalfootprint web 728x90

Economic Development

DSC 6869

Fed gives Congress grim outlook on economy

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said today that the Fed has lowered its expectations for economic growth and called on Congress to address budget deficits and economic troubles, The Washington Post reported.
 
Testifying before …

DSC 6869

U.S. trade with neighbors increases 18 percent since last year

U.S. trade with Canada and Mexico jumped to $72.4 billion in July, an 18.1 percent increase from last year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Canada is the United States’ …

DSC 6869

Agriculture a bright spot in the state’s economy

A report on the state of the Iowa economy in August is the second of the day to detect overall sluggishness.

With the exception of positive news on agriculture and building permits, the Iowa Leading …

DSC 6869

Upbeat factory report catches economists by surprise

Factory hiring and production increased in September, the Institute for Supply Management said today. Other data released today also showed strong demand for motor vehicles, with sales on track to surpass August’s rate. Construction spending …

DSC 6869

Midwest economic diagnosis: anemia, no recession

A business index that measures economic activity in the Midwest posted an increase for just the second time in the last six months, according to Creighton University’s Economic Forecasting Group.

The index increased to 52.2 …

DSC 6869

Poll: Three-quarters say European recession likely

Global investors anticipate Europe’s debt crisis leading to an economic slump, a financial meltdown and social unrest in the next year, with 72 percent predicting a country abandoning the euro as a shared currency within …

DSC 6869

Mortgage portfolio quality down

The performance of first-lien mortgages serviced by large national banks and federal savings associations declined slightly during the second quarter of 2011, according to a report released Sept. 29 by the Office of the Comptroller …

DSC 6869

Hiring survey reveals employers’ optimism down

Iowa employers are less optimistic than they were just three months ago, according to the Hamilton Hiring Survey released today.

The survey looks at employer confidence and hiring intentions for the upcoming quarter – October …

DSC 6869

Inspectors to weigh Greece’s austerity efforts

European Union (EU) and International Monetary Fund (IMF) inspectors will return to Greece on Sept. 29 to decide whether Athens has done enough to secure a new batch of aid vital to avoid insolvency, while …

DSC 6869

Little chance for president’s deficit reduction plan, Moody’s says

President Barack Obama’s deficit reduction plan would be positive for U.S. debt ratings but chances of its implementation are “extremely low,” Moody’s Investors Service said today.

Moreover, the ratings agency warned that deficit reduction in …

wellabe web 040125 300x250