Fact of the Week

by Raymond J. Keating- Small Business Policy Index 2018: Nevada ranked best – number 1 – among the 50 states. SBE Council’s “Small Business Policy Index 2018” ranks the 50 states according to 55 different policy measures, including a wide array of tax, regulatory and government spending and performance measurements.  Small Business Tax Index 2017: […]

by Raymond J. Keating- The Federal Reserve’s latest Beige Book, released on October 24, pointed to continued economic expansion across 12 districts, though growth was slight in the New York and St. Louis districts. Manufacturing growth was reported as “moderate,” and demand for transportation services was strong, travel and tourism picked up, agriculture was mixed, […]

by Raymond J. Keating- Strength in the U.S. industrial sector continued in September, according to the latest report on industrial production from the Federal Reserve. Total industrial production – i.e., the output of the nation’s industrial sectors, i.e., manufacturing, mining and utilities – grew by 0.3 percent in September. And keep in mind that the […]

by Raymond J. Keating- With the latest month’s employment report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there’s the continuing problem of looking at the two topline numbers and ignoring the fact that those two pieces of data come from completely different sources. And those two sources can often tell different stories on jobs. Consider, […]

Small Business Insider All Benefit When Federal Government Moves Policy in the Right Direction by Raymond J. Keating- SBE Council’s Small Business Policy Index 2018 ranks the 50 states according to 55 different policy measures, including a wide array of tax, regulatory and government spending and performance measurements. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis published […]

by Raymond J. Keating- The Federal Reserve’s report on industrial production in August showed continuing strength, while July’s growth also was revised upward. Specifically, in terms of industry groups in August, overall industrial production – i.e., the output of the nation’s industrial sectors, i.e., manufacturing, mining and utilities – grew by 0.4 percent in August, […]

Small Business Insider by Raymond J. Keating- The United States economy differs across the 50 states. The latest state employment report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides another reminder of this reality. For example, as noted by the BLS: “Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 6 states in July 2018, decreased in 1 state, […]

  by Raymond J. Keating- The U.S. Census Bureau’s latest durable goods report has two stories to tell. First, it’s important to keep in mind that durable goods orders serve as a kind of leading indicator on the economy, specifically, gauging both business and household confidence when it comes to making investments. It also offers […]

Small Business Insider   by Raymond J. Keating- On August 15, the Federal Reserve served up its latest measure of industrial production, i.e., the output of the nation’s industrial sectors, i.e., manufacturing, mining and utilities. Specifically, industrial production edged up by 0.1 percent in July. Over the previous five months, however, growth averaged 0.5 percent. […]

Small Business Insider   by Raymond J. Keating- First quarter real GDP growth in the U.S. was lackluster, with growth registering a meager 2.0 percent. However, that, of course, does not mean that growth was the same across the nation. Indeed, as we see in the state GDP report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic […]