Wednesday, April 8, 2026

Aspiring Business Owners Increasingly Confident

Thu, 08 April 2021  |  small business 

Entrepreneurs who agree or strongly agree that "now is a good time to start a business" grew in March to 69.3% of respondents, the highest recorded since February 2020, before the pandemic became headline news. FranchiseInsights.com compiles monthly the Small Business Startup Sentiment Index™(SSI) of individuals who have recently inquired about businesses for sale.

The most recent Startup Sentiment Index^™ survey was conducted March 25-30, 2021, as news of accelerated vaccination timelines was t... Read More

U.S. Retail Sales Grew 26.3% Year-Over-Year in March

Thu, 08 April 2021  |  consumers spending 

U.S. retail sales growth rates increased by double-digits in March as we hit the one-year mark since the first Covid lockdowns impacted retail sales. According to Mastercard SpendingPulse™, U.S. retail sales excluding automotive and gasoline increased 26.3% year-over-year in March, and online sales grew 56.8% compared to 2020. Mastercard SpendingPulse measures in-store and online retail sales across all forms of payment.

Retail sales benefited from the infusion of stimulus payments, coupled with broader reopening across the country. This is particularly evident when looking at... Read More

Remote Work Continues to Drive Record Demand for Second Homes

Thu, 08 April 2021  |  pandemic housing 

The number of buyers who locked in mortgage rates for second homes shot up a record 128% year over year in March, according to a new report from Redfin. That marks the 10th straight month of 80%-plus annual growth. The year-over-year increase should be taken in context because demand for second homes was relatively weak in March 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic first hit the U.S. and real estate activity in many parts of the country temporarily halted with lockdowns.

The data in the report is based on a Redfin analysis of mortgage-rate lock data fro... Read More

Home Buyers Eager Despite Hot Market

Wed, 07 April 2021  |  housing 

The latest Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index^® (HPSI) reveals home buyers are still eager to buy despite a sellers' market. The HPSI increased in March by 5.2 points to 81.7. Four of the HPSI's six components increased month over month, including the components related to homebuying and home-selling conditions, household income, and home prices. The mortgage rate outlook component experienced the only decline; and the latest results indicate that only 6% of consumers believe that mortgage rates will decrease over the next 12 months. Year over year, the HPSI is up 0.9 points.... Read More

Half Of Parents Want College Alternatives For Children

Wed, 07 April 2021  |  education 

A national survey of parents looks at how well they think our education system prepares young people for life after high school and finds a sobering disconnect between the opportunities families want for their child and the postsecondary pathways that are available. While attending a four-year college remains the ideal for many families, 46 percent prefer other options. Even among parents who hope their child will earn a bachelor’s degree, at least 40 percent are interested in career-related learning opportunities such as internships or apprenticeships.

These are among the fin... Read More

Fidelity Partners On Launch Of Crypto Council For Innovation

Wed, 07 April 2021  |  crypto fintech 

Fidelity Digital Assets has joined Square, Coinbase, Paradigm and others to form the Crypto Council for Innovation (CCI). The goal of the new alliance of crypto industry leaders is to support governments and institutions worldwide by informing and encouraging responsible crypto-related public policy, and educate the public about crypto’s potential to create positive change.

"We know that crypto holds immense promise for spurring economic growth and creating jobs, improving financial inclusion and access, and enhancing privacy and security -- and that promise transcends borde... Read More