On Assignment Inc. News Release (01/19/15)

On Assignment Inc. has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to sell its physician staffing segment, VISTA Staffing Solutions Inc., to Envision Healthcare for $123.0 million. The transaction is expected to close in February pending completion of certain closing conditions.

Wall Street Journal (01/20/15) Janet Hook

Recent improvements in the U.S. economy have fueled economic optimism, according to a poll by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News. About 50% of the 800 American adults surveyed said the past year brought important economic improvements, a post-recession high; and more than 40% of respondents said they are satisfied with the state of the economy—the most upbeat reading in over eight years. Consumer optimism about the economy is partially tied to plunging gas prices, an improving job market, and other signs of economic growth. About 45% are satisfied with the state of the economy, up from 28% in 2014, and about 54% are dissatisfied, down from 71% in 2014.

Bloomberg (01/16/15) Victoria Stilwell

The University of Michigan preliminary consumer sentiment index increased in January to an 11-year high of 98.2, up from 93.6 the month before. The 70 economists surveyed by Bloomberg had forecast a reading of 94.1.

“The economy is on a very solid footing beginning the new year,” says Brian Jones, a senior U.S. economist at Societe Generale in New York. “We continue to generate jobs at a fairly rapid clip, and what you’re also seeing is consumers’ response to what I call a tax cut from lower gasoline prices. That frees up a lot of spending and that means they can purchase other goods and services.”

Wall Street Journal (01/16/15) Jeffrey Sparshott

Industrial production fell in December a seasonally adjusted 0.1% from November, according to the U.S. Federal Reserve, following a 1.3% gain in November. The decline in production came as warmer winter weather than is typical tempered demand for heating. However, underlying data suggest steady economic growth girded by increasing output from factories and the energy industry. Capacity utilization fell to 79.7% last month from a revised November reading of 80.0%. Economists polled by the Wall Street Journal had forecast industrial production would remain steady and a capacity utilization rate of 79.9%. Manufacturing output rose 0.3% in December, the fourth monthly increase in a row.

“For the fourth quarter of 2014 as a whole, industrial production advanced at an annual rate of 5.6%, with widespread gains among the major market and industry groups,” the Fed said.