Productivity rises as jobless claims fall Productivity rose at an annual rate of 9.5 percent in the July-September quarter, the Labor Department said Thursday. That was much better than the 6.4 percent gain economists had expected. Unit labor costs fell at a 5.2 percent rate. ...more

November 6, 2009

The number of buyers snapping up new homes dipped unexpectedly in September as the effects of a temporary tax credit for first-time owners started to wear off. ...more

October 29, 2009

Florida's taxable property values will keep dropping for another year but at a slightly slower pace than previously forecast before beginning to rebound in 2011, state economists said this week. ...more

August 1, 2009

The number of newly laid-off workers filing initial claims for jobless benefits last week fell to lowest level since early January, largely because of the auto industry. ...more

July 10, 2009

Construction worker Anthony Carey usually gets $50 in scratch-off lottery tickets once a week at the convenience store where he gasses up, but he says that probably will change when Florida reintroduces vending machines this year in supermarkets. ...more

June 6, 2009

A bit of sour news Thursday - in the form of increased jobless claims and higher wholesale prices - suggested the economy is moving in fits and starts even as the recession eases. ...more

May 15, 2009

Last Friday the U.S. Labor Department announced that nearly 540,000 Americans lost their jobs in April. As bad as that sounds, last month's jobless total was less than most economists had predicted. In fact, it was the lowest increase in joblessness in 14 months. Of late there have been a few other signs that the economy may not be recovering yet but its rate of decline has begun to slow. ...more

May 13, 2009

New applications for unemployment benefits fell last week to the lowest level in 14 weeks, a possible sign that the massive wave of layoffs has peaked. ...more

May 8, 2009

The Treasury Department says the federal budget deficit soared to $192.3 billion in March, and is near $1 trillion just halfway through the budget year, as costs of the financial bailout and recession mount. ...more

April 10, 2009

Retail recently had its best week since the beginning of December and analysts think the strong showing is a "good omen" heading into the spring season. ...more

April 1, 2009