Economy
Q & A: Unemployment Numbers
1. HAWAII’S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE SEEMS TO ALWAYS BE BELOW THE US UNEMPLOYMENT RATE. HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON? Since the mid-1970s. It’s below the US rate in good time and in bad times.Consider the February 2012 unemployment rates for Hawaii and the US: Hawaii: 6.4% US: 8.3%. A difference of 1.9%.. 2. SO […]
Read MoreChinese Saving Dynamics: The Impact of GDP Growth and the Dependent Share
China’s national saving rate rose rapidly in the 2000s after declining through the late 1990s. These dynamics are not explained by precautionary motives, the national distribution of income, or reform related processes in general. Rather, we find a compelling explanation lies with GDP growth fluctuations and movement in the dependent share in population. We estimate […]
Read MoreDisappointing Employment Report
The addition of 120,000 jobs in March was much less than expected. The consensus was for an increase of 201,000 jobs and for no change in the unemployment rate. From the US Bureau of Labor Statistics March 2012 Employment Situation: Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 120,000 in March, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 8.2 […]
Read MoreGoing green: Green jobs in Hawaii
According to a March 22, 2012 press release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2010 there were 3.1 million “green” jobs in the United States of which 15,583 were located in Hawaii. The number at first might seem to be low compared to other states. However, percentage wise the number of people employed in “green” […]
Read MoreQ & A: Hawaii’s Green Energy Bank
1. HAWAII’S STATE LEGISLATORS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING A PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH A STATE-RUN BANK TO FUND CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS. HOW IS THIS BANK SUPPOSED TO WORK. House bill 1033 would establish a clean energy bank. The bill has been approved by the Senate’s Energy and Environment Committee. The state-run bank would make low-interest loans to […]
Read MoreHawaii’s unemployment rate revised up for 2009-2011
According to the latest regional labor force data reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Hawaii fell by 0.1% point to 6.5% in January 2012. However, the 0.1% drop was entirely the result of a 0.2% decline in the labor force. In fact, the employment level fell by 0.1%, and […]
Read MoreHawaii Construction Forecast: Construction Edging Toward Recovery
Construction has yet to turn the corner in Hawaii, but a pickup is now more clearly in sight. Single-family home construction languishes, but new high-rise condos, retail, and resort-related development will boost non-residential building. And legal challenges aside, rail construction is poised to begin in earnest as this year progresses. A summary of this forecast […]
Read MoreQ & A: Construction Edging Toward Recovery
1. UHERO RELEASED ITS ANNUAL CONSTRUCTION REPORT THIS MORNING. THIS IS A SECTOR THAT HAS BEEN HARD HIT BY THE GREAT RECESSION ISN’T IT. That’s correct, from a peak of just under 40,000 construction jobs in February of 2008, the industry has shed 12,000 jobs, and continued to loose jobs during 2011. And, total inflation […]
Read MoreEmployment Report: US economy adds 227,000 jobs in February
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics released the February 2012 Employment Situation this morning with another month of better than expected jobs numbers. The consensus was for an increase of 204,000 jobs and for no change in the unemployment rate in February. From the BLS: Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 227,000 in February, and the unemployment rate was unchanged […]
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