North Dakota workers were most likely to report their employers were hiring workers rather than letting workers go in 2011. All states showed positive scores on Gallup's Job Creation Index, with Rhode Island's +4 the lowest.
Seven in 10 owners say they would hire temporary, contract, or part-time workers
February 7, 2012
More U.S. small-business owners intend to increase (22%) than decrease (8%) the number of jobs at their company in the next year, the biggest margin in four years, according to the new Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index survey.
Americans' optimism about future direction of economy pushes index higher
February 7, 2012
Americans' confidence in the economy improved for the fifth month in a row in January, with Gallup's Economic Confidence Index reaching -27, its highest point since May of last year. Confidence is improving across all income groups.
Residents of the District of Columbia and North Dakota expressed the most confidence in the U.S. economy last year, while those in West Virginia and Maine expressed the least. Economic confidence declined in all states last year.
Average $63 in daily spending in January is down from $76 in December
February 3, 2012
Americans' self-reported retail spending dropped by a predictable amount in January compared with December, as consumers pulled back from their elevated spending levels over the holiday season.
Underemployment is 18.7%, up from 18.3% in December
February 2, 2012
U.S. unemployment, as measured by Gallup without seasonal adjustment, increased slightly to 8.6% in January from 8.5% in December. Underemployment increased more sharply as a higher number of part-time workers sought full-time work.
Job Creation Index is at +16, compared with +14 in previous three months
February 1, 2012
Gallup's Job Creation Index was at +16 in January, its highest point since September 2008. This is based on 33% of workers nationwide saying their employers are hiring and 17% saying their employers are letting workers go.
Gallup's index is sharply higher than in early December, but has been flat in recent weeks
January 31, 2012
Americans' confidence in the economy has been steady for the past three weeks, after improving slightly at the start of the year and following significant gains in late 2011. Confidence is now on par with where it stood last May.
A majority of homeowners are worried about home values
January 26, 2012
At a time when the majority of homeowners are worried about home values, Democrats and independents tend to favor government action to mitigate foreclosures, while Republicans prefer the housing market resolve its problems on its own.
