10/11/2026

News

Personal Income and Outlays, September 2014

Personal income increased $22.7 billion, or 0.2 percent, and disposable personal income (DPI) increased $15.7 billion, or 0.1 percent, in September, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.  Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) decreased $19.0 billion, or 0.2 percent.  In August, personal income increased $50.7 billion, or 0.3 percent, DPI increased $37.5 billion, or 0.3 percent, and PCE increased $58.7 billion, or 0.5 percent, based on revised estimates.

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Gross Domestic Product, 3rd quarter 2014 (advance estimate)

Real gross domestic product — the value of the production of goods and services in the United States, adjusted for price changes — increased at an annual rate of 3.5 percent in the third quarter of 2014, according to the “advance” estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis.  In the second quarter, real GDP increased 4.6 percent.

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US Third-Quarter GDP Expands at 3.5% Rate

The U.S. economy expanded at a healthy pace during the third quarter, a sign of sustained growth fueled by government spending and a narrower trade deficit despite mounting concerns about the health of overseas economies.

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California Spotlights Cities that Streamline Permitting

In California’s continuing effort to attract new and expanding businesses, the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) has launched a new web page titled “Breaking Through Barriers to Doing Business “that praises those streamlining permitting in the state.”

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“Skills Gap” Threatening to Impede Economic Growth in California

Filling skilled trades jobs — electricians, carpenters, plumbers and others — seems to be easier for organizations if they’re based outside California, according to the survey. Employers inside the state had trouble placing full-time educators such as teachers and professors, as well as scientists, engineers, managers, executives and computer specialists.

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US Economy Shows Solid Growth, but It’s About to be Tested

Although the report was clearly positive and helped lift stocks, economists at the moment see GDP growth in the last three months of the year coming in at less than 3%. And some special factors in the third-quarter report explain why.

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America’s Top States for Business

The Golden State sets the gold standard for innovation and access to capital, and its economy is turning around. But “golden” could also describe the state’s costs of living and doing business.

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Port of Long Beach Gives Customers More Free Cargo Time

The extension comes after recent bottlenecks at the port due to a shortage of chassis (or trailers that hitch to trucks and hold containers) and the influx of bigger ships coming to the port. On Tuesday, about eight container ships were anchored off the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach waiting to be unloaded, said Port of Long Beach spokesman Lee Peterson.

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Jerry Brown Signs Subcontractor Bill

In a major victory for California labor unions, Gov. Jerry Brown announced Sunday that he has signed legislation that will hold businesses liable when subcontractors violate wage, workplace safety or workers’ compensation rules.

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Calfiornia Ranks Highest for Workers’ Compensation Costs

The Workers’ Compensation Premium Rate Ranking Summary from Oregon’s Department of Consumer and Business Services shows that California businesses spend $3.48 for every $100 of payroll issued.

That’s 188 percent of the median cost of $1.85 for all 50 states. California was the third most expensive state in 2012 and the fifth most expensive in 2010.

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California’s Need for Skilled Workers

If recent trends continue, California is likely to face a shortage of workers with some college education but less than a bachelor’s degree by 2025. State and federal policymakers have increased their focus on boosting educational opportunities for this segment of the workforce. This report examines labor market outcomes among workers with some college training to shed light on the types of jobs that hold the most promise for future workers and the state economy.

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Business Economists Report Solid but Slowing Growth in Third Quarter

Business economists reported solid but slowing growth at their companies over the summer as gauges of sales, hiring and profit margins fell slightly from the second quarter, according to survey results released Monday..

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2014 Oregon Workers’ Compensation Premium Rate Ranking Summary

Premium rate indices are calculated based on data from 51 jurisdictions, for rates in effect as of Jan. 1, 2014. The 2014 median value is $1.85, which is a drop of 2 percent from the $1.88 median of the 2012 study. Oregon’s premium rate index is $1.37 per $100 of payroll, or 74 percent of the national median. National premium rate indices range from a low of $0.88 in North Dakota, to a high of $3.48 in California.

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Fits and Starts: Central Valley Economy Beginning to Bounce Back

As brutal as the Central Valley economy has fared over the last several years, it’s starting to bounce back.

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Census Bureau: California Still Has Highest US Poverty Rate

Nearly a quarter of the state’s 38 million residents (8.9 million) live in poverty, a new Census Bureau report says, a level virtually unchanged since the agency first began reporting on the method’s effects.

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