Economics and Statistics Administration

WASHINGTON – The Commerce Department’s U.S. Census Bureau today released data on new residential construction in August 2011. Permits for new housing units rose 3.2 percent in August to their highest level in 2011, despite private-sector expectations of a 1.8-percent decline. Housing starts, however, declined 5.0 percent in August, while private-sector analysts expected a 2.3-percent decline. 

WASHINGTON – The Commerce Department’s U.S. Census Bureau today released retail sales data for August 2011. Retail sales were virtually unchanged in August and slightly lower than private-sector expectations of a 0.2-percent increase. Motor vehicle sales in August decreased 0.3 percent, partly due to lingering inventory problems for Japanese manufacturers and the effects of Hurricane Irene. Sales excluding automobiles rose 0.1 percent, below private-sector expectations of a 0.3-percent rise. 

Commerce’s Economics and Statistics Administration Releases Third and Final STEM Report

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Acting U.S. Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank unveiled findings from the Economics and Statistics Administration’s (ESA) third and final report on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) jobs and education today at a Brookings Institution forum on advancing STEM education in the United States. Education Supports Racial and Ethnic Equality in STEM analyzes the demographic composition and educational background of STEM workers, looking at representation disparities within these critical fields that promote U.S. innovation and economic competitiveness.

education_supports_racial_and_ethnic_equality_in_stem.pdf

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Acting U.S. Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank issued the following statement today on the release of the July 2011 U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services report by the Commerce Department’s U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Today’s report showed that U.S. exports of goods and services in July increased 3.6 percent from June to $178.0 billion. The value of exports in July, as well as the individual export values for goods and services, was the highest on record. Exports of capital goods ($42.1 billion) and exports to South and Central America were also the highest on record in July ($14.7 billion). U.S. imports of goods and services decreased 0.2 percent over this period to $222.8 billion, causing the U.S.

In the heart of South Carolina’s picturesque horse community, I sat down at the Aiken County Chamber of Commerce to begin the first of two White House Business Council roundtable discussions with local business owners in Aiken and Columbia, S.C.  These discussions, focused on rural communities during the month of August, are designed to provide an intimate forum for local businesses to discuss the obstacles they face in creating jobs and growing their businesses.