NEWS FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 24
In The Past Year, The Number Of First-Time Jobless
Claims Has Fallen 6.5% While The Number Of
Continuing Claims Is Down 8%. (“Initial Jobless Claims Rise
11,000 To 315,000,” MarketWatch, 4/27/06)
• The Four-Week Average Of Continuing Jobless
Claims Fell By 3,250, Its Lowest Level In 5
Years. (“Initial Jobless Claims Rise 11,000 To 315,000,”
MarketWatch, 4/27/06)
The Number Of African American-Owned Businesses
Increased 45% Between 1997 And 2002, Four Times
The National Rate. (“Black-Owned Businesses Grow At Four
Times The National Rate For All Businesses,” The Associated Press,
4/18/06)
• The Number Of Hispanic-Owned Businesses
Increased 31%, Three Times The National Rate.
(“Black-Owned Businesses Grow At Four Times The National
Rate For All Businesses,” The Associated Press, 4/18/06)
Jobs Were Created In 48 States Between Mar. 2005
And Mar. 2006, While Jobless Rates Were Down In 43
States. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, Press Release, 4/21/06)
State And Local Government Borrowing Is Down 29%
In The First 3 Months Of 2006 From Last Year, The
First Time In 4 Years Borrowing Has Fallen. (“States’ New
Debt Down For First Time Since ‘02,” USA Today, 4/18/06)
• State And Local Tax Receipts Increased 10.2%
In 2005. (“States’ New Debt Down For First Time Since
‘02,” USA Today, 4/18/06)
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The Economy Grew 4.8% In The First Quarter Of 2006,
The Fastest Pace In More Than 2 Years. (“U.S. GDP Rises
4.8% In First Quarter,” MarketWatch, 4/28/06)
• Business Investment Increased 14.3%, The
Fastest Pace In 6 Years, While Consumer
Spending Grew 5.5%, The Fastest Pace In 3
Years. (“U.S. GDP Rises 4.8% In First Quarter,”
MarketWatch, 4/28/06)
The Economy Has Grown For 18 Straight Quarters.
(Bureau Of Economic Analysis, www.bea.gov, Accessed 4/28/06)
The Conference Board’s Index Of Consumer
Confidence Increased 2.1 Points To 109.6 In April.
(“U.S. Confidence Hits 4-Yr High In April,” MarketWatch, 4/25/06)
• The Index Was At The Highest Level Since May
2002. (“U.S. April Consumer Confidence Unexpectedly
Rises,” Bloomberg, 4/25/06)
Orders For Durable Goods Increased 6.1% In March,
The Best Increase Since May 2005 And Far Exceeding
Expectations. (“Durable Goods Orders Soar 6.1% In March,”
MarketWatch, 4/26/06)
Sales Of New Homes Increased 13.8% In March To The
Highest Level This Year. (“Stunning 13.8% Increase In New
Home Sales,” MarketWatch, 4/26/06)
• Sales Of Existing Homes Increased 0.3% In
March. (“Existing Home Sales Rise 0.3% In March,”
MarketWatch, 4/25/06)