Additional Signs of an Economic Turn-Around
By Sklar & Associates In Uncategorized On April 19, 2010
The economic turnaround that began in late 2009 is gaining sustainability. Media executives can plan with confidence around the expansion’s staying power because of good news about employment trends, news supported by strong fundamentals.
Recent good news on employment includes:
- The Labor Department’s February 5th report that unemployment has dropped to 9.7%
- An equally hopeful release from The Conference Board that nationwide, online job postings rose 20% in January
The brighter jobs picture looks even more encouraging in light of other indicators:
- Manufacturing growth – the Institute for Supply Management reported growth in manufacturing for the sixth straight month
- Railcar traffic – a measure of volume in significant industrial commodities such as chemicals and automobile parts – rose in December
- Technology investment – The Wall Street Journal labels Cisco System’s recent substantial upswing in quarterly profits a “barometer” of renewed business spending on technology
Consumers are responding, too:
- The extension of the first-time homebuyer’s credit and the addition of a credit for current homeowners should enhance the “broad improvement over year-ago levels” cited by the National Association of Realtors
- The National Retail Federation says “leaner, smarter inventories” and “pent-up consumer demand” are reason to predict a 2.5% increase in retail sales over last year
Sklar & Associates continues to see a steady rebound in media companies’ need to hire, especially in the rapidly expanding digital marketing arena. As this promising expansion takes hold and builds to a sustained recovery, Sklar & Associates is prepared with candidates who understand and know how to use the current business cycle to clients’ full advantage.