Beacon Economics

Upcoming Events & Appearances

September 3rd - Beacon Principal Christopher Thornberg delivers his latest forecast for the U.S. economy at the Self Storage Association's 2010 Fall Conference and Trade Show. Las Vegas, Nevada.

September 14th - Beacon Principal Christopher Thornberg keynotes the Economic Summit Conference & Business Expo hosted by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce with new outlooks for the U.S., California, and Bay Area regional economies. Richmond, California.

September 25th - Beacon Principal Christopher Thornberg brings a new economic forecast for the nation and California to a customer meeting of Wescom Credit Union. Anaheim, California.

September 30th - Beacon Principal Jon Haveman delivers a new national, state, and regional economic outlook to a meeting of commercial real estate brokers and other business leaders convened by the City of Alameda. Alameda, California.

September 30th - Beacon Principal Christopher Thornberg discusses the current and future state of the U.S. and California economies at a presentation for California United Bank. Encino, California.

October 20th - Beacon Principal Jon Haveman delivers a new economic forecast for Northern California at the 2010 Annual Fall Conference of the Northern California Chapter of the Appraisal institute. San Francisco, California.

In the Spotlight

New Release! Hosting the 34th annual America's Cup match on San Francisco Bay could result in increased economic activity on the order of $1.4 billion - almost three times the estimated impact of hosting the Super Bowl. Read the complete America's Cup economic impact report prepared by Beacon Economics and the Bay Area Council Economic Institute for the San Francisco Mayor's Office.

Just Released! The Beacon Employment Report: California continued to lose jobs in July, but the losses were due almost exclusively to the end of the 2010 census and the associated cutback in temporary Census workers. Overall, industry employment grew in California - a good sign for the direction of the overall labor market. Read the coverage in the Los Angeles Times and the San Francisco Chronicle. Also, see the latest seasonally adjusted employment stats from around the state and the nation at the Beacon Employment Report.

The California Trade Report: June marked the 8th consecutive month of growth for California's exports. During the first six months of 2010, merchandise exports were up 21.5% over where they were during the first six months of 2009. Still, the demand for California's goods will likely dampen in the last half of this year as governments worldwide tighten their belts. Read the latest coverage in the Sacramento Bee. Also, visit Beacon's International Trade Report webpage and see new trade statistics for the U.S. and all 50 states.

U.S. & California Forecast: Beacon Economics' new forecast for the U.S. and California economies says "it's not that bad... but it's not that great either." While the short term (2010) is looking relatively bright, 2011 and 2012 may bring a considerable slow down in growth as government interventions, such as the temporary tax cuts, come to an end. See our predictions for U.S. and California employment, home prices, taxable sales, and much more. Click here to go to Beaconomics.

Beacon's Regional Forecasts Now Available! Beacon Economics' newest economic outlooks for Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and other regions across California are now available. Click here to go to The Regional Outlook.

Buzz from Beacon

As mortgage rates continue to fall, refinancings are on the rise... is it enough to jump start the economy? Beacon Economics Principal Christopher Thornberg discusses why "Refis" are no long term cure for consumers or the economy as a whole. Watch the interview with Maria Bartiromo on CNBC.

Whitman and Brown campaigns evade the most difficult issues surrounding a good business climate. Beacon Principals Jon Haveman and Christopher Thornberg deliver a blunt critique of the economic "solutions" proffered by California's two major gubernatorial candidates. Read the full op-ed in the Sacramento Bee.

America's Cup on San Francisco Bay? How much of an economic benefit? Beacon Economics Principal Jon Haveman lays out the economic costs and benefits of hosting the world's premiere sailing event on San Francisco Bay. What would it mean for the Bay Area economy? Watch the interview with Phil Matier from CBS Channel 5.

San Mateo County's prospects bright. Beacon Economics Principal Jon Haveman sums up an analysis Beacon conducted for the San Mateo County Economic Development Association by saying various economic indicators show the County is "in a very good place" moving forward. Read the coverage in the San Jose Mercury News.

The economic outlook for San Francisco is not all grim. Beacon Economics Principal Jon Haveman was a headliner at the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce's annual 1000-person CityBeat Breakfast where he delivered both troubling and hopeful news for the San Francisco economy. Read the coverage in the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Francisco Examiner.