Index shows upswing in economy

Online, July 6, 2010 (Newswire.com) - The Pulse of Commerce Index, a joint project of Ceridian Corporation and the University of California at Los Angeles Anderson School of Management, shows that the economy may finally be recovering.

The index uses industrial measures to determine the overall strength of the economy, specifically diesel fuel sales at around 7,000 truck stops around the country. This measure is used, according to Ed Learner, chief economist for the project, because the goods that flow up and down the country's interstates are the "lifeblood of the system," and that flow is a good indicator of where the country stands economically.

In May, there was an increase of 3.1 percent, which shows a definite upswing for the U.S. economy.

"One month does not make a trend, but at least we are back in a recovery groove," said Learner.

The PCI is based on an analysis of real-time diesel fuel consumption data from over-the-road trucking tracked by Ceridian, which is a global provider of electronic and stored value card payment services and human resources solutions. By analyzing payment card data for the location and volume of diesel fuel purchased by truck operators, the PCI provides a detailed picture of the movement of goods and materials across the United States.

When looking at all the Census regions, all but region showed strong growth in May. The Middle Atlantic Region, which includes New York and Pennsylvania, dropped from 0.8 percent to 0.6 percent.

Any upswing in the economy is a welcome boost for all Americans, with many still out of work or having taken part-time jobs or full-time jobs at smaller salaries.

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