Which American Small Businesses Are Doing The Best?

QuickBooks Online has analysed it's customers data for the first half of 2011 and provided us with some interesting information.

• Manufacturing and mining greatest income increase
• Architectural, engineering and related services greatest profit margin increase
• Repair and Maintenance Services are seeing the greatest reduction in expenses

Click on the picture below for more information.

http://blog.intuit.com/money/what-small-businesses-are-having-the-best-2011/?img=11-07-07_whos-having-the-best-2011

Who owns America? Hint: It's not China

From the CNN blog, and Business Insider:

Many people — politicians and pundits alike — prattle on that China and, to a lesser extent Japan, own most of America's $14.3 trillion in government debt.
But there's one little problem with that conventional wisdom: it's just not true.

 Here is the list of holders of American debt:

• Hong Kong: $121.9 billion (0.9 percent)

• Caribbean banking centers: $148.3 (1 percent)

• Taiwan: $153.4 billion (1.1 percent)

• Brazil: $211.4 billion (1.5 percent)

• Oil exporting countries: $229.8 billion (1.6 percent)

• Mutual funds: $300.5 billion (2 percent)

• Commercial banks: $301.8 billion (2.1 percent)

• State, local and federal retirement funds: $320.9 billion (2.2 percent)

• Money market mutual funds: $337.7 billion (2.4 percent)

• United Kingdom: $346.5 billion (2.4 percent)

• Private pension funds: $504.7 billion (3.5 percent)

• State and local governments: $506.1 billion (3.5 percent)

• Japan: $912.4 billion (6.4 percent)

• U.S. households: $959.4 billion (6.6 percent)

• China: $1.16 trillion (8 percent)

• The U.S. Treasury: $1.63 trillion (11.3 percent)

• Social Security trust fund: $2.67 trillion (19 percent)

http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/21/who-owns-america-hint-its-not-china/

The Lost Decade in USA Housing

Calculated Risk has a good post where they discuss American housing numbers.

In nominal terms, the Case-Shiller National index is back to Q3 2002 levels, the Case-Shiller Composite 20 Index (SA) is back to June 2003 levels, and the CoreLogic index is back to March 2003.

 Read the full post here: http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2011/07/update-real-house-prices-and-price-to.html

The Shira Ovide from the Wall Street Journal said in March that the double dip in housing is here and looking at the chart above, I'd have to agree.

http://blogs.wsj.com/deals/2011/05/31/what-does-the-housing-double-dip-mean-for-banks/