General Motors (GM) – as well as most major car companies – are offering a discount on car purchases for college students, allowing them to purchase vehicles for thousands of dollars less.
The offer is extended to college students, recent college graduates and current nursing school and graduate students, according to the GM website.
Business schools are discovering that cutting programs may actually lead to a better learning experience for students and make more economic sense for the university.
After years of adding programs to attract more students in a competitive market, business schools have discovered that the result has been students confused by the number of programs offered and administrators burdened with trying to manage it all, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Applications to build new homes reached a five-year high in October, another sign that the economy is improving as 2014 approaches.
Numbers from the United States Department of Commerce indicated that permit applications increased by 6.2% in October. There were no figures for housing starts as U.S. government data has been delayed due to the government shutdown that lasted for about half of October.
Unemployment claims dropped last week, another sign that the economy and the overall job picture may be improving as the country heads into the holiday season.
According to the federal Department of Labor, jobless claims fell by 10,000 to 316,000. Most experts had projected about 330,000 jobless claims, according to an article from Reuters.
The automobile industry continued its rebound this week from the depths of the recession, with the federal government announcing it will sell its stock in General Motors and advisors with once-broke Chrysler projecting a $10 valuation for the company.
The United States Treasury Department announced this week that it is selling the final 31.1 million shares it holds in GM. This will end taxpayers’ investment in the giant auto maker, which faced bankruptcy in 2008 before being bailed out by then-President George Bush and, later, President Barack Obama.
Government shut down? What government shutdown?
Retail sales numbers released Wednesday by the U.S. Commerce Department showed that American consumers increased their spending in October. This came despite a federal government shutdown that lasted 16 days and brought many government services to a halt.
Homebuilders’ confidence in the economy held steady in November, despite the aftermath of a government shutdown and the prospect of more fiscal battles in Washington looming on the horizon.
The National Association of Homebuilders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index was at a 54 in November, according to a report released this week. That’s the same number as for October, which was revised downward from a 55 to a 54.
A better economy – and the appearance of 2014 models on dealership lots – have led to the lowest used car prices in four years.
Drivers who went through the recession and kept their old cars running have now reached a point where they need to purchase new vehicles, according to an article on USA Today. The newspaper reported that lower unemployment rates, an overall better economy, low loan rates and the willingness of banks to lend have also made this an attractive used car buying season.
In another sign of an improving economy, Macy’s reported on Wednesday that profits in the third quarter far exceeded analyst’s expectations.
Most experts had projected a 39-cent jump in Macy’s profits, but instead the retailer reported an increase of 47 cents per share. That’s a 31% jump from profits in the third quarter of 2012.
“We were able to achieve a very successful third quarter of 2013, despite the tepid economic climate,” said Terry J. Lundgren, chairman, president and CEO of Macy’s, according to USA Today.
Both online and traditional retailers are gearing up for what is going to be a very important, shortened holiday shopping season.
With the country still moving slowly out of a recession, retailers are looking to make the most of the Christmas shopping season, which traditionally starts the day after Thanksgiving and runs through the day before Christmas.
