U.S. Department of Commerce


Recent Articles about U.S. Department of Commerce

Increased Spending, No Increased Pay

By Michael Alter |  Aug 31, 2010

Every month before I report on the results of the SurePayroll Small Business Scorecard I'm sure to cre...  Read more

April Retail Sales Strong

By Ana Patricia Ferrey |  May 14, 2008

Excluding cars, retail sales rose by 0.5 percent last month, the government reports.  Read more

Stimulus Checks Boost Spending

By Michael Gadd |  Jun 27, 2008

Consumer spending rose in May at the sharpest rate in nine months, the government reports.  Read more

Spending Hits 28-Year Low

By Kelly Faircloth |  Oct 31, 2008

The U.S. economy shrank over the third quarter as consumers cut spending, the government reports.  Read more

This Week's Economic Roundup

By Angus Loten |  Feb 15, 2007

Small-business owners plan to add more jobs; weaker housing market drives consumer spending down.  Read more

E-Commerce Growth Continues

By Angus Loten |  Nov 19, 2007

Online retail sales grew by 3.6 percent over the third quarter, more than double the growth of brick-and-mortar sales.  Read more

Consumer Spending Flat

By Angus Loten |  Nov 30, 2007

Rising prices in October offset modest gains in income, according to the Commerce Department.  Read more

Holiday Shoppers Dig Into Savings

By Angus Loten |  Dec 21, 2007

A surge in spending last month outpaced gains in personal income, knocking the savings rate to a two-year low.  Read more

Factory Orders Rebound

Jan 4, 2007

Jan. 4, 2007 -- Following sharp losses in October, new orders at U.S. factories edged up in November by 0.9 percent to $394.3 billion, th...  Read more

Home Construction Picks Up

Jan 18, 2007

Jan. 18, 2007 – Housing starts rose 4.5 percent in December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.642 million, the Commerce Dep...  Read more

Durable Goods Orders Pick Up

Jan 26, 2007

Jan. 26, 2007 -- Orders for durable goods rose 3.1 percent in December to $221.9 billion, the Commerce Department reported Friday. Read more

Business Inventories Low

Feb 14, 2007

Feb. 14, 2007 -- Despite a boost in December sales, inventory levels at the nation's manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers re...  Read more

Factory Orders Weaker Than Expected

Apr 4, 2007

April 4, 2007 -- Factory orders in February rose by 1 percent, a downward revision from a preliminary report last week, the Commerce Depa...  Read more

Economic Growth Slows to Four-Year Low

Apr 27, 2007

April 27, 2007 -- A weaker housing market kept economic growth over the first quarter to its slowest pace in nearly four years, the Comme...  Read more

Retail Sales Down in April

May 11, 2007

Amid record-high gas prices, retail sales dropped by 0.2 percent to $372 billion in April, the Commerce Department reported on Friday. Excluding sa...  Read more

Online Retailers Outpacing Stores

Aug 16, 2007

Online U.S. retail sales grew by 6.4 percent to $33.6 billion over the second quarter, a 20 percent increase from the same period last year, the Commerce ...  Read more

Americans Earning More, Spending More

Aug 31, 2007

Despite a potentially looming crisis in the financial markets, Americans earned and spent more in July, the Commerce Department reported Friday. While...  Read more

Retail Sales Inch Up

Oct 12, 2007

Led by auto sales, total retail sales rose 0.6 percent last month to $380.2 billion, the Commerce Department reported Friday. Excluding auto sal...  Read more

Economy Sputters in Fourth Quarter

By Angus Loten |  Jan 27, 2006

Jan. 27, 2006 --The U.S. economy slowed considerably at the end of 2005, dropping to its weakest pace in three years, the Commerce Departm...  Read more

This Week’s Economic Roundup

By Angus Loten |  Mar 2, 2006

Spending and manufacturing climb higher; real-estate market tumbles.  Read more

This Week’s Economic Roundup

By Angus Loten |  Mar 9, 2006

Rising labor costs cut into worker productivity; factory orders take a tumble.  Read more

This Week's Economic Roundup

By Angus Loten |  May 26, 2006

Wages, prices, and spending rise; durable-goods orders fall for second straight month.  Read more

This Week's Economic Roundup

By Angus Loten |  Sep 28, 2006

Lower gas prices boost consumer confidence; manufacturers report fewer orders for durable goods.  Read more

This Week's Economic Roundup

By Angus Loten |  Nov 30, 2006

Small-business owners optimistic going into holiday season; consumer mood dips slightly.  Read more

This Week's Economic Roundup

By Angus Loten |  Dec 14, 2006

Small-business owners less optimistic; holiday shopping sends retail sales higher.  Read more

Economic Growth Slows

Nov 29, 2006

Nov. 29, 2006 -- The economy grew by 2.2 percent over the third quarter, a slower pace than the start of the year resulting from increase...  Read more

Housing Starts Fall

Nov 17, 2006

Nov. 17, 2006 -- Housing starts dropped 14.6 percent last month to an adjusted annual rate of 1.486 million, the Commerce Department repo...  Read more

Online Sales Outpacing Brick-and-Mortar Retailers

Nov 17, 2006

Nov. 17, 2006 -- E-commerce sales rose by 3.4 percent in the third quarter to $25.6 billion, the Commerce Department reported today. ...  Read more

Orders for Durable Goods Fall to Six-Year Low

Nov 28, 2006

Nov. 28, 2006 -- Orders for durable goods plunged by 8.3 percent in October to $210 billion following unexpected gains the previous month...  Read more

Wholesale Inventories Rising

Nov 9, 2006

Nov. 9, 2006 -- Inventories at the nation's wholesalers rose last month by the sharpest increase in over a year, the Commerce Department ...  Read more

Service Sector Driving Growth

Dec 11, 2006

Dec. 11, 2006 -- Growth in the service sector drove the nation's economic expansion in 2005, according to new data released by the Commer...  Read more

Trade Gap Narrows

Dec 12, 2006

Dec. 12, 2006 -- Cheaper oil prices helped shrink the U.S. trade deficit by 8.4 percent to $58.9 billion in October, the sharpest decline...  Read more

Retail Sales Gain Strength

Dec 13, 2006

Dec. 13, 2006 -- Sales at the nation's retailers rose 1 percent in November, the first increase in more than three months, the Commerce D...  Read more

Construction Spending Falls

Dec 1, 2006

Dec. 1, 2006 -- Spending on construction projects in October fell by 1 percent to $1.178 billion, the Commerce Department said Friday.Read more

Personal Income Up in Second Quarter

By Angus Loten |  Sep 28, 2005

Sept. 28, 2005 --Strong earnings in real estate, professional services, and other entrepreneurial sectors helped jumpstart personal income...  Read more

Consumers Spend More, Worry More

By Angus Loten |  Oct 31, 2005

Oct. 31, 2005 --Americans may be increasingly concerned about the economy, but those fears haven't led to penny-pinching. In fact, just th...  Read more

New Home Sales Drop Sharply

By Angus Loten |  Dec 23, 2005

Dec. 23, 2005 --New home sales plunged in November by the biggest month-to-month decline in over a decade, as rising mortgage rates kept m...  Read more

Troubling Signs for Housing Market

By Angus Loten |  Nov 21, 2005

Nov. 21, 2005 --The red-hot real estate marketRead more

New Home Sales Drop Sharply

By Angus Loten |  Dec 23, 2005

Dec. 23, 2005 --New home sales plunged in November by the biggest month-to-month decline in over a decade, as rising mortgage rates kept m...  Read more

This Week's Economic Roundup

By Angus Loten |  Mar 1, 2007

Consumer confidence hits highest level in six years; personal income and spending rise.  Read more