Timothy Duy Director, Oregon Economic Forum The UO Index dropped 0.9 percentage points in June, but the pace of the downturn over the past six months continues to lessen.  Moreover, the drop was exaggerated by falls in just two components, residential building permits and employment services payrolls.  Remaining indicators were […]

Abercrombie & Fitch, -28% Saks, -16.3% J.C. Penney, -12.3% Macy’s, -10.7% Gap,  -8% Nordstrom, -6.9% Target, -6.5% Costco,  -5% Ross Stores, + 4% (same store sales for June 2009)

Oregon Chapter, National Federation of Independent Business, SALEM, Ore., Aug. 4, 2009 – In results from a survey released today, Oregon small business owners are nearly unanimous in their opposition to the huge tax hike passed by the Legislature this year and support a referendum on them by an even […]

Christopher S. Rugaber reports, “The Commerce Department said Tuesday that consumers boosted their spending 0.4 percent in June, slightly ahead of analysts’ estimates. That comes after spending rose 0.1 percent in May.  Personal income fell 1.3 percent after rising by the same amount in May, when incomes were boosted by […]

Eco-nomics: Is Cash for Clunkers Bad for Transit? By Patrick Emerson Oregon Economics Blog The New York Times reports today on the Obama administration’s claim that “Cash for Clunkers” is improving the average gas mileage of American’s cars. I have no doubt that they are correct as statistically when the […]

From NBC News on the terrible state of the economy, “Tax receipts are on pace to drop 18 percent this year, the biggest single-year decline since the Great Depression, while the federal deficit balloons to a record $1.8 trillion. Other figures in an Associated Press analysis underscore the recession’s impact: […]

By Bill Conerly, Businomics, Conerly Consulting, One question I get in my speeches goes like this: Won’t our high unemployment rate prevent an end to the recession?  After all, people out of work don’t spend much money. Think about this a moment.  How did we ever get out of the […]

Oregon Treasury sells $737 million in short-term notes in July for bargain-basement rate of .47 percent State Treasurer: SALEM – Oregon continues to be viewed as a responsible money manager and a sound credit risk – and that is saving money for taxpayers.This month, the Oregon State Treasury sold $737 […]

By Jane Dickson Microsoft West Region General Manager SMS&P group Pirates aren’t just those who wreak havoc on the open seas.  There is another breed of pirate that can do serious damage to your business by violating copyright laws and selling illegitimate, or pirated, software.  A significant percentage of business […]

From the desk of the Executive Director Portland Neighborhood Business Associations August Newsletter There are a couple of interesting projects going on that might be of interest to you while you stay out of the heat wave we’re experiencing.  One is called “the 3/50 project” and it is aimed at […]