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US-China Business Council (USCBC) member companies operating in China reported further market expansion in 2007 but continue to encounter difficulties finding qualified personnel, obtaining business licenses in many sectors, and enforcing intellectual property rights (IPR). Rising protectionist sentiments in both China and the United States also threaten to undermine the gains made to date, according to results of USCBC's annual survey.

U.S. retail and consumer products companies have solid liquidity and are well positioned to meet their debt obligations through 2009, according to a Fitch Ratings report titled 'U.S. Retail and Consumer Products: Maintaining Solid Liquidity'. This is despite ongoing credit market volatility, as well as significant debt-financed M&A activity and leveraged recapitalizations that occurred in the industry over the last two years.

The Discover® U.S. Spending Monitorsm rose slightly in September as consumers reported having more money left over after paying debts and less concern about unexpected expenses or shortfalls in income. The Monitor stood at 95.9 for the month compared to the August level of 94.8. Noticeably unchanged from a month ago was the lower level of economic and personal financial confidence registered by the 14,000 consumers who participated in this month’s survey.

Orders in the twelve months to August 2007 rose by two per cent compared with the previous twelve months, but orders in the three months to August 2007 fell by three per cent compared to the same period a year earlier. Orders in the three months to August 2007 fell by eight percent compared to the previous three months, with decreases in public housing, private housing and private commercial sectors more than offsetting an increase in private industrial sectors. All orders figures quoted are seasonally adjusted and in constant (2000) prices.

After a slowdown in the second quarter, growth in the euro-area economy is expected to remain robust during the second half of the year, indicates the Quarterly Report on the Euro Area. Confidence indicators have softened over the summer but economic fundamentals in the euro area continue to look healthy. Despite the recent financial turmoil, growth projections for 2007 have been reduced only marginally.

Helping small and medium-seized companies use energy and resources efficiently is the aim of a recently published Commission Communication. It does this by providing a legal framework and measures that reinforce existing policies and initiatives in line with the particular characteristics of smaller companies. To this end the Communication proposes to create a programme to help small and medium-sized companies implement European environmental legislation. The programme will channel financial resources towards support networks, simplify access to environmental management systems, and promote greater awareness of environmental issues among these companies.

Fixed mortgage rates declined, with the average conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate falling to 6.42 percent. According to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large lenders, the average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.36 discount and origination points.

Consumers in the European Union have been paying up to 60% less for using their mobile phone abroad since this summer. The transition to the Eurotarrif by Europe's mobile phone operators is proceeding according to plan. This is the result of a study carried out by the 27 national telecom regulators – united in the European Regulators Group (ERG) – in collaboration with the European Commission.

US stocks dropped on Wednesday when tech stocks took a beating; investors also consolidated profits for a second day, pulling down shares of Boeing and General Electric after these stocks helped drive the Dow to a record high earlier in the week.

The Monster Employment Index was flat in September, following a modest rise in August, suggesting relatively cautious online recruitment activity during the final month of the third quarter.