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Southern Home Medical Inc. Announces Buyback of Franchisee Markets

Yahoo! Finance (08/20/14)

Southern Home Medical Inc. has completed the purchase of the Encore Medical Staffing franchisee markets of Florence, Columbia, and Charleston, SC, and Nashville and Murfreesboro, TN. More acquisitions are expected, according to Jeff Sarvis, president and chief executive officer of Southern Home Medical.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index for the U.S. Increased in July

Conference Board News Release (08/21/14)

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index for the U.S. increased 0.9% in July to 103.3, following a 0.6% increase in June. The Coincident Economic Index for the U.S. increased 0.2% in July to 109.6, following a 0.3% increase in June. The Lagging Economic Index for the U.S. increased 0.2% in July to 124.6, following a 0.5% increase in June.

“The pace of economic activity remained reasonably strong in July,” says Ken Goldstein, economist at the Conference Board. “Although retail sales were a little disappointing, hiring and industrial activity improved. July’s increase in the LEI, coupled with its accelerating growth trend, points to stronger economic growth over the coming months.”

Jobless Claims in U.S. Decreased More Than Forecast Last Week

Bloomberg (08/21/14) Shobhana Chandra

The number of people applying for unemployment benefits in the week ended Aug. 16 fell by 14,000 to 298,000, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The 46 economists surveyed by Bloomberg had forecast claims of 303,000. The four-week moving average of new claims rose by 4,750 to 300,750.

Fed Dissenters Increasingly Vocal About Inflation Fears

New York Times (08/20/14) Binyamin Appelbaum

A vocal minority of U.S. Federal Reserve officials are urging the central bank to retreat more swiftly from its stimulus campaign, which they say has lost its ability to improve economic conditions. Fed officials believe the economy is gaining strength, but a majority of officials and chairman Janet Yellen favor a slow retreat from efforts to encourage job creation, because inflation remains weak and millions of Americans still cannot find work. Some officials say the economy has improved more quickly than expected in recent months, and the minutes from the latest Fed meeting indicate that, “Participants differed…in their assessments of the remaining degree of labor market slack and how to measure it.”

Free ASAPro Webinar Today—Handling Conflicts With Clients

Don’t miss the ASAPro webinar “How to Handle Conflict With Clients.” It takes place today from 3 to 4 p.m. Learn how to avoid the most common causes for conflict with clients, discover how to address conflicts that do arise, and find out how to strengthen your staffing provider–client relationship.

All ASAPro webinars are free for ASA members, and most qualify for continuing education hours toward ASA certification renewal. To learn more and to register, visit americanstaffing.net.

Three Exciting Keynote Presentations at Staffing World® 2014

Staffing World 2014, the largest, most comprehensive convention and expo in the staffing, recruiting, and workforce solutions industry, takes place Oct. 13–15 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in metro Washington, DC.

Headlining the convention are three world-class keynote speakers:

  • Bill Strickland, president and chief executive officer of Manchester Bidwell Corp.; presenting “Make the Impossible Possible—The Art of Leadership and the Business of Social Change”
  • Geoff Smart, founder and chairman of ghSMART; presenting “Running at Full Power—Maximize Your Company’s Success”
  • Robert B. Tucker, founder and president of the Innovation Resource; presenting “Thinking Ahead of the Curve”

And there’s more in store at Staffing World—check out staffingworld.net for education session descriptions, networking opportunities, exhibitor information, and more. Register for Staffing World today to see these and other great speakers. Save up to $150 per person when you register in the next two weeks, or save 10% when you bring your team.