Continue reading... "Global Entertainment & Media Industry Will Grow to $1.8 Trillion in 2010" »

September 19, 2006 5:49 PM | Permalink

Globally, salaries are predicted to rise by an average of 5.9% next year - 1.9 percentage points above inflation - according to a study by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.

While the average pay in nearly two-thirds (63%) of the 60 countries surveyed, including the UK and US, is forecast to rise by between 1 and 3.5 percentage points above inflation, the report reveals interesting differences in pay and inflation trends around the world.  Salaries in Paraguay and China are predicted to outpace inflation by 6.4% and 5% respectively. Puerto Rico, Argentina and Ukraine rank lowest, with projected pay increases forecast at 4.5%, 3.2% and 2.3% below inflation respectively.

Continue reading... "2007 Worldwide Pay Survey - Salaries to Rise 5.9%" »

September 19, 2006 4:06 PM | Permalink

In August 2006, Google Sites regained some ground from the 1.0 share point decline it suffered in July, gaining 0.4 share points to capture 44.1 percent of the U.S. search market, according to

Americans conducted 6.5 billion searches online in August, up 3 percent versus July.  Annual growth rates in search query volume remained strong with a 28-percent increase since August 2005.

Continue reading... "comScore August Search Engine Rankings; 6.5 Billion Searches" »

September 19, 2006 1:28 PM | Permalink

September 19, 2006 11:16 AM | Permalink

VC Deal Flow
	BEZ Systems (performance management s/w & analytics): $7.5 million
	NetStreams (audio and video distribution tech.): $7.8 million
	LifeSize (high-def videoconferencing systems): $25 million
	Eventful (global events website): $7.5 million in Series B
	Ekahau (mobile positioning tech.): $7 million in venture funding
	M5 Networks (outsourced IP phone systems): $7.75 million
	WrenchHead.com (online retailer for auto parts): $17.88 million
	MyNewPlace (Internet apartment listing service): $12 million
	Tremor Network (online ads:in-banner and video ads): $8.4 million
	SchoolNet (s/w for helping public schools): $19 million

September 19, 2006 10:48 AM | Permalink

September 19, 2006 10:29 AM | Permalink

The Labor Department reported that wholesale prices edged up 0.1% in August as gasoline prices fell, helping to offset a jump in food costs. Gasoline prices actually fell at the wholesale level last month, dropping 2.2%, the biggest decline in seven months. Food costs shot up 1.4 percent in August after having declined by 0.3 percent in July. 

Outside of energy and food, core inflation was even better behaved, falling by 0.4% after a 0.3% decline in July. It marked the first back-to-back declines in core inflation in more than three years. The capital equipment index decreased 0.3 percent in August after moving down 0.2 percent in July. Leading the August decline, prices for light motor trucks dropped 3.4%, while the cost of passenger cars was down 2.6 percent.

Continue reading... "Wholesale prices up just 0.1% in August; Home construction dropped 6%" »

September 19, 2006 10:13 AM | Permalink

Over the last ten years, the average percentage increase in sales for the holiday season is 4.6%.  One-fifth of retail industry sales (19.9%) occur during the holiday season, making it the most important time period of the year for the industry.

Continue reading... "Holiday retail sales to increase 5.0% to $457.4 billion this year" »

September 19, 2006 9:52 AM | Permalink

China and India combined to produce nearly half the world's economic output in 1820 compared to just 1.8% for the U.S.

Recent U.S. financial innovations -- including new markets for securitized mortgages and credit-card liabilities, collateralized loan and high-yield bond obligations, and financial derivatives -- have the potential to create as much as $50 trillion to $100 trillion in worldwide liquidity.

Continue reading... "WSJ By The Numbers - Sept.19" »

September 19, 2006 8:37 AM | Permalink