Well, the big bad news hit Wednesday with the Federal Reserve raising its overnight interest rate by half a percentage point, a move not seen in 22 years, and of course, that was followed by the Dow dropping over 1,000 points yesterday. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced at the beginning of this week…
Read More »More bad news on the economic front as the U.S. economy shrunk at a 1.4% annualized rate during the first three months of 2022. The report from the Commerce Department Bureau of Economic Analysis pointed to a spike in imports along with a decline in exports as a couple of primary causes of the downturn.…
Read More »The United States Department of Labor reported yesterday that consumer prices rose 0.8 percent in February and 7.9 percent over the last 12 months. The consumer price index (CPI), the key gauge of inflation, showed price growth speeding up on both a monthly and annual basis. The all-item index rising almost 8% annually is the…
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For two years, Dunkin’ franchisees have had to operate under unprecedented regulatory conditions due to the pandemic – from mandatory store shutdowns to proof-of-vaccination orders. But could the regulatory nightmare finally be coming to an end? It sure looks like it, based on political and coronavirus-immunity trends of late. Still, there will be no shortage…
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At one time, omicron was known by most people as a Greek letter. The word literally means “little O.” But today, the word has followed the virus it is named for as a phenomenon that swept the planet. In many ways, governments and business have responded the way they did nearly two years ago, when…
Read More »Consumer prices grew much faster than expected in October, according to data released this week by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.9 percent last month and was 6.2 percent higher that it was in October 2020, the largest annual increase in 30 years! Generally speaking, analysts were expecting…
Read More »While many of today’s younger workers – and voters – may not have experienced the bite of inflation eating more of their compensation, those of us who more clearly understand the meaning and impact of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) are already seeing some effect from inflation. Among the many states, counties and cities that…
Read More »Small business owners, some of whom are just getting their business back on its feet, are a bit more optimistic about the future while at the same time, equally concerned about inflation and increasing operating costs. A Job Creators Network Foundation poll, the June Monthly Monitor, released last week showed that only 9% reported recovering…
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