When you get the feeling: Americans’ confidence in the economy surged last month to the highest level in nearly five years. The Conference Board reports today that its consumer confidence index increased in October to 72.2. That’s up from 70.3 in September and the highest reading since February 2008, two months into the Great Recession. Consumers were more confident after seeing better job growth, the report notes. Hiring in July and August was stronger than first thought, and employers added a modest 114,000 jobs in September, the government reported last month. Read the full story here.
To be born again: BlackBerry maker Research In Motion says that its much-delayed new smartphones are now being tested by 50 wireless carriers around the world. The Canadian company called it a key step as it prepares to launch the new BlackBerry 10 software and phones in the first quarter of next year. The phones are seen as critical to RIM’s survival. The release will come as the company struggles in North America to hold on to customers who are abandoning BlackBerrys for flashier iPhones and Android phones. The full story is available here.
The ancient light of Greece: A sign taped to a wall in an Athens hospital appeals for civility from patients. “The doctors on duty have been unpaid since May,” it reads. “Please respect their work.” Patients and their relatives glance up briefly and move on, hardened to such messages of gloom. In a country where about 1,000 people lose their jobs each day, legions more are still employed but haven’t seen a paycheck in months. What used to be an anomaly has become commonplace, and those who have jobs that pay on time consider themselves the exception to the rule. Across Greece, society is in free-fall, ripped apart by the most vicious financial crisis the country has seen in half a century. Read The Associated Press’ account here.
Today’s poll question: Have you donated to relief efforts on the East Coast organized in response to Superstorm Sandy?
Editor’s note: Daily Report is compiling a list of endorsements for candidates in the East Baton Rouge Parish mayoral, Public Service Commission District 2 and Louisiana Supreme Court 5th District races. You can check it out here; and if your association or organization has an endorsement in one of these races you’d like to share, please email it to ssanoski@businessreport.com.
