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The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index®, which had increased in January, declined sharply in February. The Index now stands at 46.0 (1985=100), down from 56.5 in January. The Present Situation Index decreased to 19.4 from 25.2. The Expectations Index declined to 63.8 from 77.3 last month.

What a difference a year makes. Against the backdrop of one of the most volatile market environments in recent memory, risk management priorities for the largest U.S. defined benefit (DB) pension plans have expanded significantly in the last twelve months. According to MetLife’s second annual U.S. Pension Risk Behavior Index StudySM, a survey of 166 corporate plan sponsors from among the 1,000 largest U.S. defined benefit (DB) pension plans, plan sponsors are now taking a much broader view of the 18 investment, liability and business risks to which their plans are exposed. As a result, most plan sponsors believe that they’re doing a better job implementing risk management measures this year than they did last. Despite a broadened view and greater self-ascribed success, the gap between the risk factors plan sponsors identify as “important” – and their reported “success” at managing those risk factors – has widened considerably.

A large number of private business owners would take a business risk (91%) vs. maintaining the status quo (9%) and, at the same time, half (49%) said they rely on “gut feel” to make investment decisions according to a study from Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and Management. The study also shows that most private business owners expect at least a 20% return for investments within 1.5 to 3 years.

Customer satisfaction improves for the first time after three straight quarters of small declines, according to the National Customer Satisfaction Index (NCSI-UK). As a result of increased customer satisfaction with retail, the index gains 0.1% to 72.9 on the NCSI's 100-point scale, which coincides with a 0.1% fourth quarter growth in GDP, the first positive growth for the economy since the first quarter of 2008. The latest NCSI study measures customer satisfaction with department stores, supermarkets, electrical retailers, petrol stations, and E-commerce.

The UK market is presenting an increasingly complex picture so far in 2010, with gross mortgage lending at a 10 year low, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders who represent the bulk of Building Societies. The number of new properties coming on to the market has, however, jumped by nearly 20% against the position 12 months ago with over 90,000 properties being listed in January alone, according to property portal Rightmove.co.uk.

ForeclosureListings.com, confirmed that the national foreclosure rate in January was one foreclosure filing for every 466 U.S. households; the most severe problems continue in the West and in Florida. Unemployment, economic hardship, negative equity, and credit availability are driving the foreclosures.

European Investment Bank (EIB) support for EU regional policy is crucial for tackling the economic crisis, EIB President Philippe Maystadt told the Regional Development Committee on Monday. He was optimistic about introducing new support instruments, yet stressed the need to ensure spending quality.

The continuing sluggish economy is forcing a growing number of large U.S. employers to take more aggressive measures to control rising health care costs and motivate workers to take charge of improving their own health, according to a survey conducted by Towers Watson, a global professional services company, and the National Business Group on Health (NBGH), a non-profit association of large U.S. employers.

America’s small business owners remained cautious about the economy in February as they expect economic conditions to largely stay the same in the coming months, according to the Discover® Small Business WatchSM, which fell less than a point to 84.9 in February from 85.5 in January. The index is up 13 points over the mark of 71.9 registered in February 2009.

In 2009, nearly 1.5 billion nights were spent in hotels and similar establishments in the EU27, a decrease of 5.1% compared with 2008, after an annual change of -0.2% in 2008 and +3.5% in 2007. The number of hotel nights spent by residents in their own country in 2009 fell by 1.6% and hotel nights spent by non-residents fell by 9.1%.