Phil Castle, The Business Times Economic growth should continue through 2014 in the United States as consumer spending holds steady, unemployment rates decline and federal monetary intervention tapers off. While a bull run that’s carried the stock market to record heights is expected to continue, it’s less likely investors will enjoy another year of double-digit […]
Winter storms that dumped snow early and often on Colorado ski resorts helped to get the latest season off to a quick start. Colorado Ski Country USA reported that skier visits to its 21 member resorts were up 22 percent during the first period of the 2013-2014 season compared to last year. The last numbers […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times A company that for more than a decade has provided services to the Department of Energy in Grand Junction plans to continue in that role under new ownership. S.M. Stoller Corp. will operate under the same name and staffing levels, but as a subsidiary of Huntington Ingalls Industries. While the acquisition […]
A monthly index tracking optimism among small business owners has increased on reports of increased capital spending and hiring, but remains well below its pre-recession average. The National Federation of Independent Business reported that its Small Business Optimism Index rose 1.4 points to 93.9 in December. Although the index has advanced for two months, it remains below the average reading […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Sales tax collections for Mesa County have increased on a year-over-year basis for three straight months to not only keep pace with 2012, but also offer some encouragement of increased business to local retailers in 2014. Sales and use tax collections also increased for the City of Grand Junction, although year-end […]
An index tracking labor trends has increased for a fifth time in six months as it continues to forecast job growth. The Conference Board reported that its Employment Trends Index edged up four-hundredths of a point to 115.76 in December. The index has gained 5.2 percent over the past year. “Despite the disappointing job numbers for […]
Job growth in the United States slowed in December with the smallest monthly gain in payrolls in three years. The unemployment rate fell to its lowest level in more than five years. But the drop was attributed in part to fewer people working or looking for jobs. According to the latest Labor Department estimates, nonfarm […]
By one measure, lodging tax collections have increased in Grand Junction for two straight months. By another measure, though, collections still lag slightly behind last year. According to the Grand Junction Visitor & Convention Bureau report for December, $65,981 in lodging taxes were collected. That’s 2.4 percent more than what was reported for the same […]
A measure of confidence among business executives has rebounded on more upbeat assessments of current conditions as well as more optimistic expectations for the first half of the new year. The Conference Board reported that its Measure of CEO Confidence jumped six points to 60 for the fourth quarter of 2013. The gain nearly offset […]
The Mesa County Public Works Department has received a $15,000 grant to partially fund the purchase of monitors and sensors that will help identify potential energy saving options in county buildings. The county contributed $30,000 to the year-long pilot program. The monitors and sensors will gather information that will be analyzed to identify energy savings […]