ISM Employment Index Spikes, Profiles International Emphasizes the Importance of Smart Hiring
November 5, 2009
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/11/prweb3160374.htm
This is a great piece I picked up off the wire this morning regarding smart hiring – well worth the read. From the article: Read the rest…
- Categories: Uncategorized
Buffett is All-In on America’s Future
November 4, 2009
“We wouldn’t be putting out the equivelant of $34 billion unless I felt there’s a lot of good years for America. America’s best years lie ahead. There’s no question about that.”
- Categories: Uncategorized
Home Buyer Credit to be Extended?
November 3, 2009
Last night Congress completed the first step of a process which may lead to the passage of a bill extending the first-time home buyer credit through April of 2010.
This particular bill would provide an $8,000 tax credit to first-time home buyers (by definition, buyers who haven’t owned a home in the past three years) as well as $6,500 credit for buyers who have lived in thier prior residences for at least 5 years.
- Categories: Uncategorized
Stanley Tool Aquires Black & Decker
November 3, 2009
Stanley Tool and Black & Decker have agreed to a $4.5 Billion all-stock deal combining the two tool makers. Stanley shareholders will hold 9 of the 15 board seats. Both companies have been hit hard by the housing slump as sales in both commercial and do-it-yourself tool categories have suffered.
Job cuts are likely on the horizon for the newly merged company which will be called Stanley Black & Decker, based at Stanley’s offices in New Britain, CT. Small to mid-sized businesses looking to aquire talented purchasers and warehouse workers should be on the lookout.
- Categories: Uncategorized
Manufacturing Activty Grows
November 2, 2009
The ISM reported a marked uptick in its manufacturing index for October. Activty rose to 55.7 (the highest level since April 2006) from 52.6 in September. Forecasters expected the index to be around 53.0 for October. Shrinking inventories and first-time home buyers completing purchases to take advantage of the home buyer tax credit contributed substantially to the large gain.
- Categories: Uncategorized
Tenneco Beats the Street
October 29, 2009
Auto parts manufacturer posts better than expected earnings today thanks to cost cutting measures which helped offset lower vehicle production volumes. Tenneco stock (TEN) is up 400% year to date. CNBC interviewed Gregg Sherrill, Tenneco Chairman & CEO this afternoon.
- Categories: Uncategorized
More companies plan to hire rather than cut workers
October 29, 2009
From Tuesday, October 27th’s USA Today
By, Paul Davidson, USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2009-10-25-economy-hiring-workers_N.htm
An economic survey out Monday provides fresh evidence that a fitful recovery is underway as customer demand grows in the third quarter for the first time in more than a year and the jobs outlook brightens a bit.
For the first time since the recession began, the portion of companies planning to add employees in the next six months outnumbered those expecting to cut jobs, according to this month’s quarterly survey of economists at 78 firms by the National Association for Business Economics.
- Categories: Uncategorized
Recession Busters: Volume I – Machine Specialties Inc.
July 21, 2009
Recession Busters is a bi-weekly series that runs on CareerBuilder.com’s Skilled Labor Blog profiling small businesses from all across Blue-Collar America that are finding success despite the current economic conditions.
Recession Busters: Volume I – Machine Specialties Inc.
- Categories: Uncategorized
Aluminum Manufacturer Alcoa Posts Better Than Expected Earnings
July 8, 2009
As the first Dow Jones Industrial Average company to announce earnings Alcoa kicked off earnings season with a moderately positive report. The company reported a quarterly loss of 26 cents, slightly narrower than the 38 cents projected by analysts. Alcoa stock (AA) gained 5% in after-hours trading following the earnings report.
While demand for its metals continues to decline Alcoa credits the company’s wide-ranging financial and operational initiatives to reduce costs, increase cash, and strengthen its balance sheet as the driving force behind the company’s improvement.
- Categories: Uncategorized
RSM McGladrey Releases 2009 Manufacturing and Wholesale Distribution Survey
July 1, 2009
On June 22nd business consulting firm RSM McGladrey released findings from its 4th annual Manufacturing and Wholesale Distribution Survey. The survey provides insights, trends, and projections within the industry based on the responses of more than 920 executives who answered questions related to current business conditions, growth strategies, innovation, cost management, technology initiatives, operations, and globalization.
This survey is on my must read list for businesses that are looking to gain an edge in the current economic climate. The survey results of 920 executives provides enough data to distinguish the best-practices among companies that are winning right now.
- Categories: Uncategorized