Mississippi Business Journal » economy

State’s jobless rate fell to 9.1 percent in April

Associated Press — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:03:11 +0000

ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — The state’s unemployment rate dipped in April, but mainly because fewer people were looking for work. However, a separate survey of employer payrolls continued to rise, suggesting Mississippi’s slow climb out of recession continues. Both sets of figures were released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The jobless rate fell to [...]

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NFIB survey finds optimism in economy rising, but…

MBJ Staff — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:13:15 +0000

WASHINGTON — After last month’s disappointing drop in small-business confidence, April’s Index of Small Business Optimism from the National Federation of Independent Business rose 2.6 points to 92.1, just above the recovery average of 90.7. In April’s report, four Index components rose, two fell and six were unchanged. Yet pessimism abounds within the sector, as [...]

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Report: Confidence in Coast economy up modestly

MBJ Staff — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:29:22 +0000

MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST — Director of research and policy Scott King and the Gulf Coast Business Council Research Foundation has released the quarterly CEO and Business Owners Confidence Report for the first quarter of 2013. “Confidence in the Gulf Coast’s economy is improving moderately,” said Jack Norris, president of the Gulf Coast Business Council. “This [...]

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Most Southern cities see drop in unemployment rates

Associated Press — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:36:39 +0000

SOUTHERN U.S. — Unemployment rates fell in more than 80 percent of large U.S. cities in February from January, suggesting that strong hiring that month benefited the vast majority of the country. The Labor Department says rates fell in 311 of the nation’s 372 largest metro areas. They rose in 45 and were unchanged in [...]

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City faces shortfall as tax collections continue to decline

Associated Press — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:50:10 +0000

COLUMBUS — Sales tax collections continue to lag behind last year’s revenue, raising questions about whether the city will have to amend its budget or dip into reserves to make up the difference. The Commercial Dispatch reports January revenue was reported at about $626,000, a drop of more than $24,000 from the same period in [...]

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NFIB’s Aldridge: ‘Small business owners still wary’

MBJ Staff — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 13:08:46 +0000

JACKSON — The National Federation of Independent Business’ monthly Index of Small Business Optimism increased 1.9 points in February to 90.8 — an improvement over the past several months but still below the trough of the 1991-92 and 2001-02 recessions. Of the 10 Index components, one fell, one remained unchanged and eight improved but were [...]

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Wild hogs continue to hurt economy, ecosystem

Associated Press — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:07:29 +0000

ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — Mississippi’s rapidly growing wild hog population is cutting its own destructive swath through the state, and along the way exacting a heavy toll on the state’s ecosystem. Wild hogs, sometimes referred to as feral pigs, are swine that were once domesticated and were released or escaped into the wild. Their ability to [...]

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Study: Confidence in economy holding steady on Coast

MBJ Staff — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:45:17 +0000

MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST — Confidence in the Mississippi Gulf Coast economy held steady in the fourth quarter of 2012, according to the CEO and Business Owners Confidence report from the Gulf Coast Business Council. “For the second consecutive survey, business leaders perceive a modestly improving economy,” said Jack Norris, president of the Gulf Coast Business [...]

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State’s unemployment rate rose in December

Associated Press — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 18:19:00 +0000

ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — The state’s unemployment rate ticked up to 8.6 percent in December. Despite the one-month rise, Mississippi’s jobless rate still decreased the third-most among states in 2012, in percentage point terms. Only Nevada and Florida saw larger drops. The state’s unemployment rate was 8.5 percent in November and 10.5 percent rate in December [...]

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IHL report finds 20 percent chance for recession

MBJ Staff — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 17:23:20 +0000

JACKSON — The Mississippi Economic Outlook, first quarter 2013 edition, is now available online at www.mississippi.edu/URC. Published by the Center for Policy Research and Planning of the Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL), the Outlook presents the state economic forecast, including detailed employment forecasts by sector. Regional, national and international developments impacting the state economy are [...]

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