Globe Newswire (08/04/14)

Kforce Inc. has agreed to sell all of the issued and outstanding capital stock shares of Kforce Healthcare Inc. to RCM Acquisition Inc., an affiliate of Beecken Petty O’Keefe & Co., for $119 million in cash. Kforce Healthcare is the operating subsidiary for Kforce’s health information management business and will be rebranded as Himagine Solutions Inc.

Compunnel News Release (07/30/14)

Plainsboro, NJ-based business technology services company Compunnel Software Group Inc. has acquired Middlesex, NJ-based MindTrust Consulting Services Inc., a full service, global information technology staffing firm. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Conference Board News Release (08/04/14)

The Conference Board Employment Trends Index increased in July and now stands at 120.31, up from an upwardly revised 119.92 in June. This represents a 6.6% gain in the ETI compared with a year ago.

“The six-month growth rate in the [ETI] is the strongest in over two years, suggesting solid job growth is likely to continue in the coming months,” says Gad Levanon, director of macroeconomic research at the Conference Board. “The pickup in economic activity in recent months will likely increase the need and willingness of employers to accelerate hiring.”

July’s increase in the ETI was driven by positive contributions from five of its eight components including number of temporary employees.

Wall Street Journal (08/01/14) Kathleen Madigan

The Institute for Supply Management reports an acceleration in U.S. manufacturing activity in July, with its manufacturing purchasing managers index rising from 55.3 in June to 57.1, marking the highest reading since April 2011. Moreover, its employment index increased to its highest reading since June 2011, surging from 52.8 to 58.2.

Meanwhile, the ISM production index climbed from 60.0 in June to 61.2 in July and the new orders index rose from 58.9 to 63.4.

Bloomberg (08/01/14) Victoria Stilwell

Consumer spending accelerated in June by the most in three months, signaling that continued job growth likely will shore up the economy. Household purchases rose 0.4% after a 0.3% gain in May that was larger than previously estimated, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The gain coincided with the forecast of 74 economists in a Bloomberg survey.

Reuters (08/01/14) Chuck Mikolajczak

The Thomson Reuters and University of Michigan final July reading for the overall index on consumer sentiment was 81.8, less than the estimated 82.0 and down from the final June reading of 82.5. Current economic conditions rose to 97.4 from 96.6, and consumer expectations dropped to 71.8 from 73.5.