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☆ A Pessimist’s Guide to Embracing Positivity
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Rachel Feintzeig | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

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That was up from 10% in January 2022, but the pessimists were far outnumbered, with 71% of tech workers feeling positive. Many people spent Covid-19 lockdowns developing their digital skills, and plenty wound up switching from other sectors, like retail or education, into tech roles elsewhere. Professional and business services roles, which include engineering and “computer services,” were down 6,000 last month from November. Even so, employers’ broad appetite for tech skills could put something of a floor under wages — and prop up the appeal of tech roles in general — even as the economy slows. Experienced tech workers, rather than those new to the field, largely drove those pay gains, the jobs platform Hired found in research published in September.

☆ Australia consumer mood brightens for second month in a row
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Jan 17 (Reuters) - A measure of Australian consumer sentiment rose in January for the second straight month, as a break in a painful cycle of interest rate rises likely provided temporary relief for borrowers. The Westpac-Melbourne Institute index of consumer sentiment released on Tuesday rose 5.0% in January, the largest monthly gain since April 2021 and building on a gain of 3.0% in December. "If so, we should be cautious about reading the January sentiment rise as part of a continuing trend." The index of the economic outlook for the next 12 months jumped 10.2%, and the outlook for the next five years climbed 2.9%. A separate survey from ANZ also showed a small rise just last week, although the bank cautioned that spending data has turned weak in the first week of 2023.

☆ Darkest days likely over for euro zone factories, December PMIs show
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 2 (Reuters) - The downturn in euro zone manufacturing activity has likely passed its trough as supply chains begin to recover and inflationary pressures ease, a survey showed on Monday, leading to a rebound in optimism among factory managers. S&P Global's final manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) bounced to 47.8 in December from November's 47.1, matching a preliminary reading but still below the 50 mark separating growth from contraction. "Prospects have brightened amid signs of healing supply chains and a marked softening of inflationary pressures, as well as a calming of concerns over the region's energy crisis, thanks in part to government assistance." With inflationary pressures easing, supply chains healing and an energy crisis likely averted purchasing managers turned optimistic and the future output index jumped to 53.8 from 48.8. Reporting by Jonathan Cable; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 'Selling Sunset' star Jason Oppenheim shares what he looks for when buying a new home and his top advice for buyers in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Dorothy Cucci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

He says low inventory won't change anytime soon and that homes sitting on the market are often hidden gems. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jason Oppenheim, president and founder of The Oppenheim Group and star of Netflix's 'Selling Sunset.' Low inventory plus high demand equals higher prices; low inventory plus low demand (which we have now) creates a balance. In a low inventory market, you usually have to give up a few items on your wish list. If you're a seller in a big city, you're gonna have to be patient, but there's going to be decent demand.

☆ COP27 deal is a blessing in a very good disguise
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( George Hay | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt, Nov 21 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The world’s premier forum for combatting climate change concluded in Egypt’s Sharm El-Sheikh on Sunday with an inadequate agreement to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. At Glasgow’s COP26 a year ago, the world’s nearly 200 nations promised to update their decarbonisation plans in 2022. Pessimists will accurately stress that a newly agreed loss and damage fund to pay off affected countries is just an empty bucket – the details will be determined later. At COP26 it was obvious a perceived lack of generosity from richer nations was holding back efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The commitment to establish a dedicated “loss and damage” fund left many of the most controversial decisions on how it might work until next year, including who should pay into it.

☆ Japan manufacturers' mood down amid weak yen, global risks - Reuters Tankan
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Tetsushi Kajimoto | Anant Chandak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The monthly poll, which tracks the closely watched tankan quarterly survey of the Bank of Japan (BOJ), found that manufacturers expected their business conditions to improve over the coming three months while service-sector respondents expected little change. Economists estimate the world's number-three economy slowed sharply in the third quarter as yen falls pushed living costs higher and as risk of global slowdown rose. The index is expected to rebound to plus 7 in February after declining for a third month in a row in November. The service-sector index rose five points to plus 20, the best reading since the plus 25 registered in October 2019 shortly before the outbreak of the pandemic, it showed. The index is expected to slip just one point to plus 19 over the coming three months.

☆ Japan manufacturers' mood sours again, higher costs dim outlook - Reuters Tankan
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Tetsushi Kajimoto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FILE PHOTO: A factory area is seen in front of Mount Fuji in Yokohama, Japan, January 16, 2017. The monthly poll, which tracks the Bank of Japan’s (BOJ) closely-watched tankan quarterly survey, found manufacturers’ mood expected to deteriorate again over the coming three months while service-sector mood was seen rebounding further. “There are concerns about worsening profits due to import costs boosted by a weak yen on top of rising raw materials and energy costs,” said a manager of a food-processing firm. The BOJ’s last survey showed on Oct. 3 big manufacturers’ mood worsened in July-September for a third straight quarter as high material costs dim recovery prospects for the fragile economy. The Reuters Tankan index readings are derived by subtracting the percentage of respondents who say conditions are poor from those who say they are good.

☆ Japan manufacturers' mood sours, higher costs dim outlook - Reuters Tankan
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Tetsushi Kajimoto | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Issei Kato/File PhotoThe monthly poll, which tracks the Bank of Japan’s (BOJ) closely watched tankan quarterly survey, found manufacturers’ mood is expected to deteriorate again over the coming three months while service-sector mood was seen rebounding further. Industries such as autos, steel and textiles weighed on overall manufacturers’ sentiment, while communications, transport and utilities led non-manufacturers. “The prices of products are not keeping pace with surging raw materials costs” as many subcontractors in the supply chain could not pass on input costs to their clients, one manager at a chemicals maker said. “There are concerns about worsening profits due to import costs boosted by a weak yen on top of rising raw materials and energy costs,” said a manager of a food-processing firm. The BOJ’s last survey on Oct. 3 showed big manufacturers’ mood had worsened in July-September for a third straight quarter as high material costs dimmed recovery prospects for the fragile economy.

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