The NFIB Research Center released its latest COVID-19 survey on the impact the pandemic has had on small businesses. This survey is NFIB’s 17th survey in the series. Included in this edition is an update on small business SBA programs, paid sick or family leave, supply chain disruptions, sales levels, and more. “Many small businesses have taken advantage of the SBA … [More]
Increased Longevity and the Impact on Retirement Planning

Over the last several decades, our life expectancy rate has continually increased. Today, the average expectancy is around 80 years in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau projects longer life expectancy for decades to come. By the year 2060, life expectancy is projected to have continued its steady increase. In addition to this forward-looking projection, life … [More]
U.S. Jobless Claims Drop to 553K, Lowest since Pandemic Hit
In the week ending April 24, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 553,000, a decrease of 13,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 19,000 from 547,000 to 566,000. The 4-week moving average was 611,750, a decrease of 44,000 from the previous week's revised average. This is the lowest level for this average … [More]
Economy Grew 1.6% in Q1 2021, a 6.4% Annual Rate
Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 6.4 percent in the first quarter of 2021 (table 1), according to the "advance" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the fourth quarter of 2020, real GDP increased 4.3 percent. The GDP estimate released today is based on source data that are incomplete or subject to further revision by the … [More]
Housing Gains Could Grow Black Wealth More Than $500 Billion in a Decade
Incremental increases in homeownership rates and home values among Black households would help shrink the current $3 trillion racial wealth gap by hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade, according to a new Zillow analysis. Today's typical Black household has only about 23% of the wealth of a typical white household, down from 34.6% before the Great Recession. … [More]
Surge in New Listings Signals Potential Relief for Frustrated Home Shoppers
New data in Zillow's® Monthly Market Report1 suggests the inventory crunch bedeviling home searchers may be starting to turn around as record appreciation of home values makes it more enticing to sell. Meanwhile, the recovery of rents is gaining broad momentum and touching double-digit annual gains in hot markets like Phoenix and Riverside. Although continued demand for … [More]
Greater Phoenix Chamber Releases Q1 Arizona Business Index
The Greater Phoenix Chamber recently released the Q1 Arizona Business Index™ (ABI™), powered by OH Predictive Insights (OHPI). “We are especially encouraged by the change in perception related to the pandemic,” said Todd Sanders, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Chamber. “Arizona consumers of all ages are showing a willingness to get vaccinated, which will help … [More]
Greater Phoenix Adds 10,000 Jobs in March
The Greater Phoenix metro area gained almost 10,000 jobs in March 2021 over February numbers in the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity latest report. The Phoenix workforce grew to 2.2 million in the 13 months since the coronavirus pandemic started. Year-over-year, the metro area workforce is still over 50,000 jobs short of March 2020 … [More]
U.S. Jobless Claims Fall Again as Employment Picture Strengthens
In the week ending April 17, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 547,000, a decrease of 39,000 from the previous week's revised level. This is the lowest level for initial claims since March 14, 2020 when it was 256,000. The previous week's level was revised up by 10,000 from 576,000 to 586,000. The 4-week moving average was 651,000, a decrease of … [More]
Bounce Back Endures: February Continued Single-Family Rent Growth but Recovery is Unbalanced, Says Report
CoreLogic, a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider, today released its latest Single-Family Rent Index (SFRI), which analyzes single-family rent price changes nationally and across major metropolitan areas. February 2021 data shows a national rent increase of 3.9% year over year, up from a 3% year-over-year increase in February … [More]
U.S. Jobless Claims Fall to 576K, Lowest since Pandemic Began
n the week ending April 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 576,000, a decrease of 193,000 from the previous week's revised level. This is the lowest level for initial claims since March 14, 2020 when it was 256,000. The previous week's level was revised up by 25,000 from 744,000 to 769,000. The 4-week moving average was 683,000, a decrease of … [More]
What to Expect in the Housing Market After the Pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has upended the housing market, opening up new opportunities for many, pushing some to move back home and causing others to reevaluate how they want their home to look. With vaccines being widely distributed, new Zillow® surveys reveal what's likely to change and what's expected to remain when the pandemic ends. "As the pandemic subsides and the … [More]
U.S. Mortgage Delinquency Rates Fall for Fifth Consecutive Month; Lowest Levels Seen Since Start of Pandemic
CoreLogic, a leading global property information, analytics and data-enabled solutions provider, today released its monthly Loan Performance Insights Report for January 2021. For the month of January, 5.6% of all mortgages in the U.S. were in some stage of delinquency (30 days or more past due, including those in foreclosure), representing a 2.1-percentage point increase in … [More]
Small Business Owners Struggle to Find Qualified Workers
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose 2.4 points in March to 98.2. March’s reading is the first return to the average historical reading since last November. The NFIB Uncertainty Index increased six points to 81, which was primarily driven by owners being more uncertain about whether it is a good time to expand their business and make capital expenditures in the coming … [More]
VIRTUAL EVENT – Apr 14: ACG Arizona April 2021 Virtual M&A/PE Panel
Join ACG Arizona for an inside look at the forces and factors that are driving M&A and private equity in the current economy. Our virtual event will include an in-depth panel discussion featuring professionals from some of the leading private equity, mezzanine, and BDC firms in Arizona and beyond. This exclusive panel will address the status of the dealmaking market, … [More]
CPI Rises 0.6% in March as Gasoline Index Continues to Rise

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.6 percent in March on a seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.4 percent in February, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The March 1-month increase was the largest rise since a 0.6-percent increase in August 2012. Over the last 12 months, the all items index increased 2.6 percent before … [More]
Influx of Remote Workers Puts Geographic Pay Policies in the Spotlight
Geographic pay policies, a.k.a. localized compensation, are in flux. Of the 62% of organizations with existing geographic pay policies, 44% are considering modifying or have recently modified their policies due to the increase of full-time remote work, according to WorldatWork's Geographic Pay Policies Study. With 67% of employees expecting their compensation to reflect their … [More]
U.S. Jobless Claims Unexpectedly Rise to 744,000, More Layoffs Likely
In the week ending April 3, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 744,000, an increase of 16,000 from the previous week's revised level. The previous week's level was revised up by 9,000 from 719,000 to 728,000. The 4-week moving average was 723,750, an increase of 2,500 from the previous week's revised average. The previous week's average was revised up … [More]












