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Blog: Alaska Business Communities
Alaska Construction Academies 2012 award winners
The Alaska Construction Academies announces its 2012 Employer of Excellence Awards. And the winners are... Brent Eaton, president of E/P Roofing, Inc. – Anchorage Donnie Hansen, training director of Painters & Allied Trades Local Union 1959 – Anchorage...
Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport picks up painting from Fairbanks gallery
Fairbanks gallery owner David Mollett delivers new local art to the Anchorage airport.
CISPRI’s new oil test tank is off to a good start
Cook Inlet Spill Prevention & Response, Inc. has completed the proper section of its new oil spill test tank in Nikiski. Meanwhile the tank is in full for training local personnel plus other oil responders. Even Finnish and Louisiana skimmer manufacturers are taking notice.
Week in Review, Feb. 20
Stocks rose last week, marking the 6th week of advances in the past 7 weeks. The S&P 500 returned +1.5% for the week and is now up +8.2% YTD. Bonds were mostly flat, with the 10 year Treasury yield closing at 2.00% on Friday. International stocks also did well last week - Japan's Nikkei was up +4.9%, Hong Kong shares increased +3.4%, and European stocks rose +1.9%.
BLOG: Eye on Wall Street: Markets off to a good start in 2012
We are starting 2012 on the right foot as the global equity markets are off to their best start in 18 years, according to Bloomberg. Better U.S. economic data, a round of liquidity from global central banks (including the Fed), and signs of improvement in Europe have been catalysts. It also looks like inflation is cooling here and abroad. The accompanying table details the results of the markets in January.
Week in Review, Feb. 13
Stocks lost some ground last week. The S&P 500 shed -0.17% and is now up +6.76 YTD. Bond yields rose slightly with the 10 year Treasury up 6 bps, to yield 1.99%. By the way, three month Treasury bills now yield an eye popping 0.08% - that's up from 0.01% at year end!
Week in Review
Okay, we want the Giants to win on Sunday. Remember if an original NFL team wins (Giants) stocks rise and if an old AFL team wins (Patriots) stocks fall. It has worked 79% of the time! Of course, the last time the Giants beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl was 2008. That didn't work out so well now did it?
Week in Review, Jan. 23, 2012
The S&P 500 gained +1.5% to 1,315 last week and is up +4.6% YTD. Stocks throughout the world are on a tear so far this year. Chinese stocks are up +5.4%, Brazil +9.8%, European names (Stoxx 50) have gained +4.8%. U.S. bonds however have declined in price as yields jumped 15 bp on the 10 year Treasury last week to a 2.03% yield. Better U.S. economic news and less angst in Europe are causal factors.
Blog: Building Alaska
Housing Affordability Reaches Record Level as Tight Credit Conditions Impede Housing Market
Nationwide housing affordability, as measured by the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Opportunity Index (HOI), rose to a record level during the fourth quarter of 2011, while prospective home buyers continued to feel the constraints of tighter credit standards and a soft economy.
N. Claiborne Porter, CGP, CGR, Named 2011 Certified Graduate Remodeler of the Year by NAHB
N. Claiborne Porter, CGP, CGR, has been named the 2011 Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR) of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in recognition of his successful efforts to raise awareness of this educational designation for remodelers.
Builder Confidence Rises Fourth Consecutive Time in January
Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes continued to climb for a fourth consecutive month in January, rising four points to 25 on the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released today. This is the highest level the index has attained since June of 2007.
Home Builders Still Supporting Communities, Despite Downturn
During the holidays, many Americans pause to reflect on the year that is coming to an end. There was no relief in 2011 for the home building industry, which has been devastated by the economic downturn. Thousands of builders went out of business and many others continue to struggle to make ends meet on a daily basis. Yet home builders around the country are still putting aside their challenges to help less fortunate members of their communities.
Young Households Count on the Mortgage Interest Deduction
Homeownership, the foundation of the American Dream and the American economy, is under attack. Lawmakers are considering tampering with the mortgage interest deduction—which has been part of the tax code since its inception in 1913—in a bid to reduce the federal deficit.
Icicle, Adak Fisheries settle 2004 violations for $615K
Original penalty was $3.44 million. Peter Pan Seafoods reached similar deal with NOAA last October.
Feds tell judge 23 months for EIS on Steller sea lions
NMFS rediscovers value of council input and public comment. UPDATED: State, seafood companies drop more than 450 pages on Burgess' desk.
Blog: Follow the Money
Rationalized fishing rights have buoyed Alaska fisheries
Alaska has long been at the forefront of global fisheries, benefiting from the rich waters of the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. The Alaska fishing fleet is one of the largest in the world, with state of the art modern vessels that can operate in any weather condition. The capital investment required to support this fleet is tremendous, and it has been supported through the privatization of fishing rights.
Asset based lending: no longer the business loan of last resort
Asset Based Lending has matured and become part of the business mainstream.
Five keys to get a “Yes” for a small business loan
What does it really take for a small business owner to get a loan from a bank today? It’s one of the top questions our bankers hear – and I would like to share our answer to this question.
‘Creating a Culture of Courage’ in a risky post-recession landscape: An interview with Cindy Solomon
Nationally recognized speaker, consultant and executive coach Cindy Solomon knows a thing or two about courage. In fact, Solomon regularly works with companies to create a culture of courage that drives innovation in this post-recession business economy. That’s why she was surprised to find herself full of fear on the Demon Drop, a thrill ride in the Midwest that suspends riders and asks them to drop themselves from 153 feet.
Blank Check
The more employers I talk with, the more I hear the challenge of finding the right balance between encouraging and supporting employees to make healthy lifestyle choices and getting too much into “their business.”
Business Confidence and Affordable Health Insurance
I was fortunate enough to be one of the lucky 1500 + people that attended the AEDC Economic Forecast luncheon this past week. Lots of good news was reported there, including 1700 new jobs in our market this past year.
To Engage or Not to Engage
There has been a lot of discussion on employee engagement recently. And, there should be. The research that started the buzz has demonstrated that engaged employees drive greater profitability, lower costs, higher client satisfaction and better quality.
Know Your Numbers
Recently, our company invested in bringing in a professional group that took the biometrics, such as cholesterol, weight, body fat, etc., of each staff member. Within a matter of 15 minutes we all “knew our numbers.”
Experts: Don't Overlook Disability Benefits
A majority of employee benefits are focused on health care. But, if you’re really interested in providing protection for your employees, life and disability insurance shouldn’t be overlooked.
Blog: The Leadership Geek
By Andrea Manning
BLOG: Resolve to become a better leader in the new year
Effective leadership is a key component of success. Whether it’s leadership within an organization, your family or other group, leaders who are able to inspire others through word and deed will lead their team and themselves to astounding success.
