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The first estimate for the euro area (EA16) trade balance with the rest of the world in December 2010 gave a 0.5 bn euro deficit, compared with +3.2 bn in December 2009. The November 2010 balance was -1.5 bn, compared with +2.7 bn in November 2009. In December 2010 compared with November 2010, seasonally adjusted exports fell by 0.4% and imports by 1.1%.

In December 2010 the OECD area unemployment rate was 8.5%, down 0.1 percentage point from November. The OECD rate (now including Chile, Estonia, Israel and Slovenia, the four countries that joined OECD in 2010) has been stable at around 8.5% since February 2010, despite diverging trends at the national level. New data show that the unemployment rate for the United States fell by 0.4 percentage point (the second consecutive decline) to 9.0% in January 2011, while the rate for Canada rose by 0.2 percentage point to 7.8%.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for the U.K. increased 0.7 percent, and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) remained unchanged in December.

A new Harris Poll on consumer spending and saving, using questions that have been asked eight times since the financial and economic crisis began, shows some very small increases in the number of people who say they are likely to spend their money on various big ticket and other purchases. These are consistent with several recent reports of modest increases in consumer sentiment and spending. This poll also shows a very small decrease in the numbers of people who are saving or investing more money. However all of these very small changes could be the result of sampling and other errors that can affect all surveys.

Is social media redefining how we find love? That's the theme of a study released today by Euro RSCG Worldwide, the world's largest advertising agency by number of global accounts. The study reports on the impact social media has had on everything from the definition and ease of cheating to the wide-spread acceptance of flirting and finding love online.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for Spain increased 0.1 percent and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) decreased 0.2 percent in December.

Composite leading indicators (CLIs) for December 2010, designed to anticipate turning points in economic activity relative to trend, continue to point to expansion in most major OECD countries.

This Valentine's Day, workers are just as concerned as last year that openly dating a coworker could jeopardize their careers, according to the 2011 Valentine's Day Workplace Survey conducted by Monster on behalf of Spherion Staffing Services. Nearly three-quarters (70 percent) of respondents agree that openly dating a coworker could jeopardize job security or advancement, a similar percentage to last year. The 2011 survey findings also show that 68 percent agree that workplace relationships can lead to conflict at work, and another 61 percent believe they are a distraction.

Gartner, Inc. has identified what it believes will be the most important mobile applications in 2012. Focusing on high-end devices with an average selling price (ASP) of more than $300 dollars, analysts have identified the top 10 cutting-edge technologies and trends for 2012.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for Japan decreased 0.4 percent and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) increased 0.4 percent in December.