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Some Retail and Food Services Sales Gaining, Others Continue to Slump

Posted October 28, 2020 by Bill Walker

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released data on estimated retail and food services sales for the month of September. Estimated numbers are based on early reports from a small sampling of companies selected from the larger Monthly Retail Trade Survey (MRTS) sample. You can view the Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services,...

Latest Small Business Pulse Survey Shows Improvements

Posted October 22, 2020 by Bill Walker

Final results from phase two of the Census Bureau’s Small Business Pulse Survey were released last week, offering new first-hand perspectives on how the pandemic is impacting businesses. Participating businesses must be non-farm, single-location businesses and must have receipts greater than or equal to $1,000, and 500 employees or fewer.

Relationships Still Matter in Business Banking

Posted October 20, 2020 by Bobby Martin

Barlow Research Associates is probably the most well-known, and certainly the most accomplished, banking research company, especially with regard to gathering insights on how businesses view their banks.

Welcome to Prospectville

Posted October 08, 2020 by David Buffaloe

September saw NFL and college football starting to come back to life, bringing a much-needed boost to many people’s spirits as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Along with many other Americans, I spent last weekend cheering on the guys from my fantasy football team. 

How Supply Chains Have Been Affected by COVID-19

Posted October 06, 2020 by Bill Walker

In addition to millions of people becoming ill, the COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching consequences for our economy. We’ve seen millions of job losses. Businesses have watched their profits plummet, leading some to close permanently. The stock market has experienced dizzying volatility. A key contributor to the economic impacts has...

August Retail Sales: Are the Winners and Losers Starting to Plateau?

Posted September 24, 2020 by Bill Walker

The Census Bureau released the Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services, August 2020 report last week. Adjusted for seasonal variations, advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for August 2020 were $537.5 billion. That’s an increase of 0.6 percent from July and a 2.6 percent boost versus August of last year....

Service Sectors Struggle to Regain Past Quarters’ Revenue Levels

Posted September 17, 2020 by Bill Walker

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released the selected services estimates for the second quarter of 2020. The survey revealed that total revenue for the second quarter of 2020 (seasonally adjusted, but not adjusted for price changes) was $3,650.4 billion. That’s down 9.1 percent as compared to first quarter of 2020 and down 9.3 percent...

Jobs Numbers Improving…But Will the Trend Continue?

Posted September 10, 2020 by Bill Walker

We have to find glimmers of hope where we can lately, and the most recent jobs report is no exception. In August, the U.S economy added 1.4 million jobs — an impressive sounding figure — but the truth of the matter is that we are still at a deficit as compared to pre-COVID-19 numbers. 

Shiny and New: New Home Sales Continue Upward Trajectory

Posted August 27, 2020 by Bill Walker

The housing market offers one of the few bright spots in the U.S. economy with homebuilders seeing record-setting sales numbers. The U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released July’s new home sales data this week that bolsters this trend.

The Mixed Bag Continues for Retail and Food Services Sales Numbers

Posted August 21, 2020 by Bill Walker

The U.S. Census Bureau recently released their July 2020 Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services report. Adjusted for seasonal variation, July sales totaled $536.0 billion, which represents a 1.2 percent increase over June’s numbers ($529.4 billion). This marks the third consecutive month with increases in U.S. consumer...

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