Maryland jobless rate drops to 5.6 percent in November
The state added 3,800 jobs in November, according to preliminary data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
Consumer prices flat, may keep Fed stimulus going
WASHINGTON — U.S. consumer prices stayed flat in November, held down by falling gas prices. Inflation remains low across the broader economy, giving the Federal Reserve latitude to continue its extraordinary stimulus program. The consumer price index was unchanged last month, after dropping 0.1 percent in October, the Labor Department said Tuesday. Gas prices declined […]
Come November, Dream Act to take spotlight
ANNAPOLIS — While President Barack Obama and his Republican opponent will capture national headlines this November, Maryland voters will turn their attention to in-state policy disputes, like 2011’s In-State Tuition Bill, also known as the Dream Act. By the end of April, groups like Educating Maryland Kids and Help Save Maryland will be canvassing neighborhoods, […]
Council’s next EBDI hearing in November
An investigative hearing into the $1.8 billion redevelopment of Middle East by East Baltimore Development Inc. will continue at City Hall on Nov. 9. Councilman Carl Stokes adjourned a contentious three-hour hearing before the City Council’s Taxation, Finance and Economic Development Committee on March 30 amid calls for more solid data from EBDI. He scheduled […]
Retail trade group sees modest holiday sales gain
NEW YORK — The National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, expects winter holiday sales to rise 2.8 percent to $465.6 billion this year. That would be smaller than 2010’s 5.2 percent increase, but it’s higher than the average increase for November and December over the past 10 years. And it would continue a […]
November inventories see decline but sales rise
WASHINGTON — Businesses at the wholesale level trimmed their stockpiles in November for the first time in nearly a year, even though sales rose for a fifth consecutive month. The Commerce Department says wholesale inventories dipped 0.2 percent in November, the first decline since December 2009. Sales rose 1.9 percent after a 2.6 percent surge […]
Employers post fewer jobs in November
WASHINGTON — Job openings dipped in November, the latest evidence that employers remain cautious about adding new workers. The Labor Department says employers advertised 3.25 million jobs that month, a drop of about 80,000 from October. Openings have risen by 900,000, or 39 percent, since the recession ended. But they are still below the 4.4 […]
Retail sales rise for 5th straight month in November
WASHINGTON — Retail sales rose for a fifth straight month in November, as the biggest jump in department store sales in two years gave the holiday shopping season a strong start. The Commerce Department says retail sales increased 0.8 percent last month. That came after a 1.7 percent gain in October, which was propelled by […]
Interactive: Hollywood Casino Perryville’s November revenue
With Maryland’s first slots casino churning in Perryville, money has already begun flowing into the state. Click on the slot machine lever below to reveal how much of November’s revenue from the Hollywood Casino Perryville will go to the seven designated agencies and accounts. Each month, we will update the interactive with current figures provided […]
Hollywood Casino Perryville’s November revenue down 33 percent
Hollywood Casino Perryville generated $7.6 million in revenue in November, a decrease of about 33 percent over the $11.4 million generated in October. The Maryland Lottery reported Monday that each slot machine averaged $168.64 in revenue per day, which is significantly less than the $210 per machine per day the state said it would eventually […]
Millions of men grow mustaches for cancer effort
CLEVELAND — The scraggly patch of blond hair on Zak MacDonald’s upper lip is a source of mockery among his co-workers in this testosterone-laden office, where the art of growing a mustache has become a full-blown competition. Scanning the cubicles, there are several handlebars and respectably bushy mustaches. The most prominent even rival the collage […]
U.S. auto sales continue slow-motion recovery
DETROIT — All major automakers but Toyota reported strong U.S. sales increases in November as the auto industry’s slow-motion recovery continued to gain traction. Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, Nissan, Hyundai and Honda all reported double-digit increases, and only Toyota, which has been hurt by a string of safety recalls, had a sales drop. Overall, according […]