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The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for Japan decreased 0.4 percent The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index® (CEI) remained unchanged in August.

In August 2011 compared with July 2011, the volume of retail trade fell by 0.3% in the euro area (EA17) and by 0.2% in the EU27. In July retail trade rose by 0.2% and 0.1% respectively. In August 2011 compared with August 2010, the retail sales index decreased by 1.0% in the euro area and by 0.8% in the EU27.

In August 2011 compared with July 2011, the industrial producer price index fell by 0.1% in the euro area (EA17) and by 0.2% in the EU27. In July prices increased by 0.5% and 0.4% respectively. In August 2011 compared with August 2010, industrial producer prices gained 5.9% in the euro area and 6.7% in the EU27.

The economic crisis has made it more difficult for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access banking credit. The proportion of unsuccessful loan applications rose between 2007 and 2010 in 19 of the 20 Member States for which data are available. The largest increases in unsuccessful loan applications were observed in Bulgaria (from 3% in 2007 to 36% in 2010), Ireland (from 1% to 27%) and Latvia (from 4% to 26%). Unsuccessful applications fell only in Sweden (from 9% to 6%).

The euro area (EA17) seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 10.0% in August 2011, unchanged compared with July. It was 10.2% in August 2010. The EU27 unemployment rate was 9.5% in August 2011, unchanged compared with July. It was 9.6% in August 2010.

The Conference Board Leading Economic Index® (LEI) for Mexico declined 0.1 percent and The Conference Board Coincident Economic Index ® (CEI) increased 0.3 percent in July.

After increasing steadily between 2003 and 2008, EU27 exports of goods to Brazil dropped to 21.6 billion euro in 2009, then recovered to reach a peak of 31.3 bn in 2010. After growing between 2002 and 2008, imports rose from 25.7 bn in 2009 to 32.4 bn in 2010, but remained below the level of 35.9 bn recorded in 2008. After peaking at 11.3 bn in 2007, the EU27 deficit in trade in goods with Brazil fell steadily to 1.1 bn in 2010.

A recent survey on employee performance and retention conducted by Express Employment Professionals, one of the nation's largest privately-held staffing companies, found that employers are more disconnected than ever from their workforce.

According to a 2011 Demandbase National Marketing and Sales Study released by marketing technology company Demandbase and online business network Focus, a company’s corporate website is the top source of new sales leads—second only to personal connections and referrals, and more than seven times more effective than social media. However, study participants report that the website still vastly underperforms in terms of lead generation. And, while businesses feel that they understand their sales prospects (more than 60 percent report knowing or understanding their prospects well), they do not understand their prospects’ behavior on the very site that’s driving those sales leads.

Unemployment rates were lower in August than a year earlier in 262 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 84 areas, and unchanged in 26 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. Nine areas recorded jobless rates of at least 15.0 percent, while 10 areas registered rates of less than 5.0 percent. Two hundred thirty-eight metropolitan areas reported over-the-year increases in nonfarm payroll employment, 127 reported decreases, and 7 had no change. The national unemployment rate in August was 9.1 percent, not seasonally adjusted, down from 9.5 percent a year earlier.