National health spending (NHS) in March 2014 grew 7.1% over March 2013, the highest 12-month rate since February 2005, well before the recession, which began in December 2007. The health spending share of GDP reached an all-time high of 17.9% in March, just above its February value of 17.8%. Health care prices in March 2014… Keep reading →
Economic News/Analysis
Minnesota’s manufacturers are more confident in their firms’ future than at any point since 2009, according to the sixth annual The State of Manufacturing®, a survey research project sponsored by Enterprise Minnesota and partners. Health care costs, government policies and regulation, and the ability to attract and retain qualified workers also top the list of… Keep reading →
Capt. Lee Moak, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) underscored today in testimony before the U.S. House Aviation Subcommittee the serious economic threat to U.S. airlines posed by state-supported foreign airlines and foreign airlines’ business plans that conflict with U.S. policy. He reinforced ALPA’s call for the U.S. government to make certain… Keep reading →
Manufacturers’ News, Inc.– Manufacturing employment in Washington increased 2.3% over the past year, reports the 2014 Washington Manufacturers Directory®, an industrial database and directory published by Manufacturers’ News, Inc. (MNI). According to data collected by MNI, Washington manufacturers added 7,228 jobs from February 2013 to February 2014. Manufacturers’ News reports Washington is now home to… Keep reading →
Manufacturers’ News, Inc.– Manufacturing employment in Iowa increased one percent in 2013, reports the 2014 Iowa Manufacturers Register®, a manufacturers database and directory published by Manufacturers’ News, Inc. (MNI). According to data collected by MNI in 2013, Iowa added 2,114 jobs over the past year. Manufacturers’ News reports Iowa is now home to 5,430 manufacturers… Keep reading →
Annual Microgrid Capacity Installations Will Increase Nearly Fivefold by 2020, Forecasts Navigant Research
By businesswireFueled by the growth of distributed generation and the desire of consumers and businesses to move toward greater independence in their use of electricity, the microgrid concept has moved steadily toward the mainstream in the last few years. The main technology components of microgrids have made significant headway, and Navigant Research’s analysis indicates that the… Keep reading →
Manufacturers’ News, Inc.– Manufacturing employment in North Carolina was little changed over the past year, reports the 2014 North Carolina Manufacturers Register®, a manufacturers database and directory published by Manufacturers’ News, Inc. (MNI). According to data collected by MNI in 2013, North Carolina added 824 jobs over the past year – far less than the… Keep reading →
Remote Microgrids Continue to be the Most Numerous Category of Microgrid Projects, Finds Navigant Research
By businesswireAlthough most microgrids are technically retrofit projects, microgrids have begun to move into the mainstream. Around the world, new vendors continue to enter this space with new projects and approaches. These systems, which can operate in isolation from (or in the absence of) the wider power grid, are particularly well-suited for remote communities in the… Keep reading →
The Insured Retirement Institute (IRI) today released a new report showing that Baby Boomers’ confidence in their retirement plans continues to decline, a trend dating back to 2011, when IRI first began tracking Boomers’ retirement expectations. During that time, the percentage of Boomers showing high levels of confidence in their financial preparations for retirement dropped… Keep reading →
Manufacturers’ News, Inc.– New Mexico gained manufacturing jobs in 2013, reports the 2014 New Mexico Manufacturers Register®, a manufacturers database and directory published by Manufacturers’ News, Inc. (MNI). According to data collected by MNI in 2013, New Mexico posted a 1.2% increase in manufacturing employment, or 699 jobs, the largest post-recession gain MNI has recorded… Keep reading →