Articles

The count of open construction jobs jumped to a record-high 449,000 unfilled positions in April, according to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is the highest measure in the history of the data series, which dates back to late 2000. Read More

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 390,000 in May, and the unemployment rate remained at 3.6%, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Read More

Nonfarm business sector labor productivity decreased 7.3% in Q1 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported, as output decreased 2.3% and hours worked increased 5.4%. Read More

Home prices made a 20.6% annual gain in March, up from 20.0% in the previous month, the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index, covering all nine U.S. census divisions, reported. Read More

Despite these difficulties, business outlook remains strong, with 64% anticipating their revenue will increase in the year ahead. Read More

Personal income increased $89.3 billion, or 0.4 percent at a monthly rate, while consumer spending increased $152.3 billion, or 0.9 percent, in April. Read More

Consumer sentiment fell 10.4% in May to 58.4, according to final results from the University of Michigan Survey of Consumers. Read More

Consumer spending on home grew 20 percent in 2021 over 2020, which followed an 8 percent advance in 2020 over 2019. While 2020 growth didn’t come close to the unprecedented increase in 2021, it was still double the average 4 percent year-over-year advance tracked from 2010 after the recovery from the last recession. Read More

The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) released its Kitchen & Bath Market Index (KBMI) for Q1 of 2022. The quarterly report, which is aimed at measuring the health of the kitchen and bath industry, found that the industry enjoyed a successful opening quarter of the year, growing 12.6% in Q1, with industry professionals expecting further growth as the year continues. Read More

Real gross domestic product (GDP) decreased at an annual rate of 1.5 percent in the first quarter of 2022, following an increase of 6.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2021. Read More