Recovery Shows Momentum As GDP Grows 6.4%
Powered by consumers and fueled by government aid, the U.S. economy is achieving a remarkably fast recovery from the recession that ripped through the nation last year on the heels…
Jobless Claims Drop to 553K As Economy Heals
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits dropped by 13,000 last week to 553,000, the lowest level since the pandemic hit last March and another sign the economy is…
Consumer Confidence Returns to Pre-Pandemic Levels
Consumer confidence rose sharply for a second straight month, hitting the highest level since the pandemic began, as the rapid rollout of vaccines and another round of U.S. financial support…
Airports See Light as Flyers Feel Free to Move About
The state’s two major airports are starting to take flight again after a long year of mostly empty planes and terminals. The COVID-19 pandemic began to be felt in earnest…
Hotel occupancy starting to surge, North Little Rock officials say
The covid-19 pandemic threw the hotel industry for a loop, but recent stimulus checks and the distribution of vaccines are giving North Little Rock hope for a brighter business outlook…
Banks hope for economic recovery by end of ’21
The remainder of 2021 promises to be quite an active year for Arkansas' top financial institutions, with all three expressing optimism that economic recovery is starting, although some anxieties persist…
Arkansas child abuse centers note rise in ’20 cases
Nonprofits that provide services to child abuse victims saw a more than 40% increase in children served in 2020 over 2019, data shows. The Children's Advocacy Centers of Arkansas also…
Arkansas Marks 1M People Getting COVID-19 Vaccine
Arkansas on Thursday marked 1 million people who have received coronavirus vaccine shots in the state so far, though the governor acknowledged more needs to be done to increase demand.…
Shortage Cuts Into Existing Homes Sales, Prices Surge 17%
Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell for the second consecutive month in March because there are so few on the market, and the fierce competition for those that do…
Businesses Scramble for Help As Job Openings Go Unfilled
It looks like something to celebrate: small businesses posting “Help Wanted” signs as the economy edges toward normalcy. Instead, businesses are having trouble filling the jobs, which in turn hurts…
State’s jobless rate dips to 4.4% as economy rides out pandemic
The measure of Arkansas’ unemployed continues to improve as the state’s joblessness rate dropped again in March, inching closer to pre-pandemic levels. The Arkansas Division of Workforce Services announced Friday…
State Unemployment Rate Falls to 4.4% in March
Arkansas' unemployment rate fell one-tenth of a percentage point, from 4.5% in February to 4.4% in March, the state Division of Workforce Services said Friday. The report said Arkansas' civilian…
Walmart, Costco, and Uber are competing more than ever for labor
US retailers have long been competing with one another for workers in a high-turnover industry. What’s new is that the gig economy—steering more into delivery—is joining the competition for labor,…
$1,400 Stimulus Checks Helped March Retail Sales Soar 9.8%
Newly vaccinated and armed with $1,400 stimulus checks, Americans went on a spending spree last month, buying new clothes and going out to eat again. Retail sales surged a seasonally…
New Arkansas Virus Cases, Per Capita, Lowest in the Nation
The number of new coronavirus cases per capita in Arkansas during the past two weeks was the lowest in the nation, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. Arkansas had…
Little Rock airport sees most travelers since COVID-19 began
For many, Easter weekend may have been the first time they've been able to celebrate a holiday with the ones they loved. As more people get vaccinated, more are taking…
U.S. Adds Robust 916K Jobs in March As Hiring Surges
America’s employers unleashed a burst of hiring in March, adding 916,000 jobs in a sign that a sustained recovery from the pandemic recession is taking hold as vaccinations accelerate, stimulus…
Elementor #3451
Short-staffed businesses common in Arkansas as economy picks back up When the pandemic hit, many businesses had to lay off employees. Now that the economy is picking back up, there's…