ThinkstockUrban experts have a sure-fire way of telling whether a neighborhood has turned the corner from dowdy to prosperous — it’s called the Starbucks test. “You’re probably well past up-and-coming once a Starbucks moves…
courtesy of FordThe popularity of cars can be measured by several factors. Among these are total unit sales in a year, market share versus direct competitors, and sales improvement year-over-year. The best measure is…
ThinkstockThere has been no shortage of successful product launches in 2012. Think the iPhone 5 and “The Avengers.” In order for companies to have successful launches, they must invest a great deal, ranging from…
ThinkstockWith the president and Congress attempting to reach a budget deal in an effort to avoid the fiscal cliff, it is likely they will agree on spending cuts, including those to entitlement programs. If…
ThinkstockIn the past 12 months, home prices have skyrocketed in some major U.S. cities. In Phoenix, according to real estate information site Trulia, asking home prices increased by 26.9% between November 2011 and November…
ThinkstockLast month, the unemployment rate in the United States fell to 7.7% of the labor force. The last time unemployment was this low was four years ago this month. An estimated 134.74 million people…
ThinkstockIn the past 10 years, some of America’s biggest food chains have lost more than 50% of their sales as they closed hundreds of locations nationwide. These restaurants, which include former American staples such…
ThinkstockViolent crime in the United States continues to fall. Between 2006 and 2011, the violent crime rate — including crimes such as murder, robbery and aggravated assault — in the U.S. fell 19.4%, according…
ThinkstockNow that elections are over, everyone is waiting for a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline, but it’s not so easy amid the atmosphere of protests that have even traditionally oil-friendly Texans putting up…
courtesy Ford Motor Co.The average price of all cars, light trucks, and SUVs sold in the United States is slightly above $30,000. Read: The 10 Cheapest Cars for Sale But several vehicles sell for…
ThinkstockConcerns about global economic weakness have pushed crude oil prices down in recent weeks. The decline was seen in gas prices, too. As of December 6, national prices averaged $3.38 per gallon, down from…
courtesy of Adrian Pingstone, via Wikimedia CommonsAccording to a study released this week by global consulting group Mercer, the best U.S. city to live in is Honolulu, Hawaii. However, the study reviews hundreds of…
While the U.S. unemployment rate has improved markedly from the double digits during the recession, it was still stuck at 7.9% as of October. Some regions fare far better than rest of the country,…
For decades, a relatively small number of cars and light trucks have dominated U.S. sales, whether these were built by American, Japanese, or European manufacturers. This trend goes all the way back to the…
After three years of declining sales, shipments of domestically sold beer are up by more than 1% in the United States this year. Sales of light beer and specialty beer, such as Budweiser Light…
Forget all the stereotypes about the reserved English or the hotblooded Italian. When it comes to being least emotional, Singapore is the coolest, while the Philippines is red hot. This is according to a new study released…
ThinkstockThe U.S. home prices have begun to rebound in the past year. And in the most expensive markets, where the average home sells for well over $1 million, recoveries are among the strongest, increasing between…
Flickr / rOsssAs the National Hockey League lockout drags on deep into November with no end in sight, franchises are losing millions of dollars. Many contend the lockout has killed momentum the NHL gained…
ThinkstockWhen you want to gauge the health of a housing market, your instinct may be to check housing prices, sales volume or possibly even foreclosure rates. Read: The 10 Markets with the Most Empty…
ThinkstockFor the average American heading to the supermarket to buy Thanksgiving dinner, bringing a $50 bill should do the trick. The average cost of a 10-serving Thanksgiving dinner will cost $49.48 this year, according…