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Rising interest rates may force Baton Rouge business owners to pivot once again
Scott Gaudin, chief lending officer with Currency Bank, suggests business owners ask themselves: If I can afford this expense at 4% interest, can I also afford it at 5%? If the answer is “maybe not,” the next question is whether the expense is a need or merely a want, he says.
US jobless claims reach highest mark since October
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose to the highest level in three months as the fast-spreading omicron variant disrupted the job market.
Baton Rouge among nation’s slowest-growing job markets
Baton Rouge’s job market is among the slowest growing in the country, coming in seventh-worst on job site Indeed’s ranking of U.S. metros.
US jobless claims rise for fourth time in five weeks
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week to the highest level since mid-November, but still low by historical standards.
Some Capital Region industries topping pre-pandemic job numbers
Job growth remains strong across all sectors in the Capital Region, according to the Baton Rouge Area Chamber’s latest monthly economic indicator report, which examines and analyzes the state of the regional economy.
Inflation soars 7% in December from a year ago, offsetting wage gains
Inflation jumped in December at its fastest year-over-year pace in nearly four decades, surging 7% and raising costs for consumers, offsetting recent wage gains and heightening pressure on President Joe Biden and the Federal Reserve to address what is increasingly Americans’ central economic concern.
Record number of US jobs added in 2021, but it’s not all positive
Incredible gains have been made in the job market over the last year, but overall, numbers remain low.
The year 2021 began with the labor...
US initial unemployment claims rise but remain historically low
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week but remained at historically low levels, suggesting that the job market remains strong.
The most important economic measurements you should monitor
As we head further into the new year, small business owners might be wondering what economic information they should pay attention to when it...
Capital Region unemployment dips in November
The proportion of the Baton Rouge area’s civilian labor force that was unemployed fell from 3.7% in October to 3.5% last month, according to...
US unemployment claims continue to drop
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell below 200,000, more evidence that the job market remains strong in the aftermath of last year’s coronavirus recession.
Stories to remember from 2021: Economic recovery
Last year, Louisiana was one of the first epicenters of the COVID-19 pandemic. But this year, with effective vaccines widely available and the coronavirus seemingly in retreat, life was starting to feel almost normal.
US unemployment claims unchanged from previous week
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits was unchanged last week, remaining at a historically low level that reflects the job market's strong...
Surging inflation leading to more cost-of-living raises
Higher prices, a worker shortage and a revitalized labor movement are bringing about the return of pay increases tied to inflation, known as cost-of-living adjustments, or COLAs.
US jobless claims rise but remain historically low
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week despite signs that the U.S. labor market is rebounding from last year’s coronavirus recession.
Fed expects to raise interest rates three times in 2022 amid inflation fears
The Federal Reserve will pick up the pace at which it's pulling back its support for the economy as inflation surges, and it expects to raise interest rates three times next year.
Louisiana weekly initial unemployment claims rise
Initial unemployment insurance claims in Louisiana for the week ending Dec. 4 rose to 2,183 from the week prior’s 1,568. The increase, while significantly...
US consumer inflation surges 6.8% in November from a year ago
Prices for U.S. consumers jumped 6.8% in November compared with a year earlier as surging costs for food, energy, housing and other items left Americans enduring their highest annual inflation rate in 39 years.
A 52-year low on US jobless claims amid seasonal volatility
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits plunged last week to the lowest level in 52 years, more evidence that the U.S. job market is recovering from last year's recession.
US businesses advertise near-record 11 million open jobs
U.S. employers posted 11 million open jobs in October, nearly matching a record high reached in July and a sign that companies were confident enough in the economy to expand.
