Most retail cfos say too much inventory still biggest risk to holiday sales results,  while layoffs take a back seat as retailers focus on inventory management for the remainder of 2009 By BDO Seidman LLP, According to a recent study by BDO Seidman, LLP, one of the nation’s leading accounting […]

By Tim Duy, Oregon Economic Forum The UO Index rose 0.5 percent in July, and the overall behavior of the Index in recent months continues to indicate that Oregon will exit recession in the second half of 2009.  Highlights include: •    Initial jobs claims continue to trend downward, but the […]

Oregon Mood Improving; Obama’s Health Care Plan Finds Mixed Reviews By Moore Information, October 6, 2009 The mood of Oregon voters is pessimistic but has improved significantly in the past eight months. In February of this year, we reported pessimism at its highest point in six years, but today we […]

By Oregon Small Business Association, Little-known Flir Systems (FLIR), the world leading provider of infrared technology used by militaries across the globe, hopes to bring its technology to motor vehicles.  FLIR’s success booms despite the recession because of the need for infrared technology, especially during a time of war, but […]

The Wall Street Journal reports, “The U.S. vacancy rate reached 7.8%, a 23-year high, according to Reis Inc., a New York real-estate research firm that tracks vacancies and rents in the top 79 U.S. markets. The rate is expected to climb further in the fall and winter, when rental demand […]

By Bill Conerly, Conerly Consulting, Businomics, The International Monetary Fund says, “The global recession is ending.” If you do business overseas, one of the best free information sources is the IMF’s semi-annual World Economic Outlook.  Although I have not always been a fan of IMF policies, I’ve found their Outlook […]

Percent change in Real GDP by Metropolitan Area 2008 Bureau of Economic Analysis: New statistics released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis show that the slowdown in U.S. economic growth was widespread: 60 percent of metropolitan areas saw economic growth slow down or reverse. Real GDP growth slowed […]

By NorthWest Natural Gas, PORTLAND, Ore.- The Board of Directors of Northwest Natural Gas Company (NYSE:NWN), dba NW Natural, has increased the quarterly dividend on the company’s common stock to 41.5 cents from 39.5 cents per share, an increase of 5 percent. The dividends will be paid Nov. 13, 2009, […]

by by Dennis Westlind, World of Work Stoel Rives LLP, Attorneys at Law Last week the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) filed with the Secretary of State a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on new regulations pertaining to certain employee leave laws.  The proposed regulations are intended to reflect […]

Press Release from Gene Biggi and family. We have decided not to sell our family property to the City of Beaverton for the purpose of building a stadium for Merritt Paulson.  Sale of the property would displace hundreds of employees in dozens in businesses.  Mayor Doyle and city staff approached […]