Canadian GDP to grow 2.0% this year despite US tariffs: RBC

The Canadian economy is gaining momentum despite looming concerns over US-imposed tariffs, according to the RBC Economic Outlook quarterly report. While not nearing the 3.0% growth pace of 2017, real GDP is expected to grow by 2.0% in 2018 before slowing slightly to 1.8% in 2019.

Recent US tariffs have...

Half of human cloud, ride-sharing drivers say it’s their full-time job: report

About half of drivers for human cloud, ride-sharing firms such as Uber and Lyft drive full-time hours and half also consider the work their sole job, according to a report released last month by the University of California Los Angeles Labor Center. The report included a survey of 260 drivers for the...

Weekly staffing employment hits record last quarter compared to other first quarters: ASA

US staffing companies employed an average of 3.1 million temporary and contract workers per week in the first quarter, according to data released today by the American Staffing Association. This is the highest number for any first quarter since reporting for the ASA Staffing Employment and Sales Survey...

Chicago, South Florida firms increase overall hiring plans, especially for IT

Firms in the Chicago and South Florida markets report a widespread number of open finance/accounting and IT positions heading into the third quarter, according to a survey released by staffing provider Brilliant. Businesses also plan to increase their overall hiring plans in the next 12 months, especially...

Jobless claims average edges down, continuing claims hit lowest level since December 1973

The US four-week moving average of initial claims for unemployment insurance edged down to 224,250 last week, down 1,250 from the previous week’s unrevised average, the US Department of Labor reported.

The four-week moving average decreases the volatility of the weekly numbers. Total initial claims...

PeopleScout acquires UK-based RPO provider for $25 million net-of-cash

PeopleScout, a division of TrueBlue (NYSE: TBI) that provides MSP and RPO services, acquired UK-based RPO provider TMP Holdings Ltd. for $25 million net-of-cash.

The acquired firm operates under the name TMP Worldwide; however, it is neither owned by nor connected with TMP Worldwide Advertising &...

Korn Ferry Q4 fee revenue rises 13% in constant currency

Korn Ferry International Inc. (NYSE: KFY) reported total fee revenue rose 12.7% in constant currency in its fiscal fourth quarter ended April 30. The increase on a reported basis was 17.1%. The Los Angeles-based provider of executive search and consulting reported the organic growth was driven by all...

New book looks at gig economy (Fast Company)

In a new book, Gigged: The End of the Job and the Future of Work, author Sarah Kessler takes a look at the gig economy. Fast Company magazine interviewed Kessler on what she found. Kessler told the magazine that Silicon Valley’s sales pitch regarding the gig economy is true for some, but others...

Toyota invests $1 billion in fourth-largest human cloud, ride sharing platform

Toyota Motor Corp. announced today it will invest $1 billion in Grab Holdings Inc., a Singapore-based human cloud, ride-sharing firm. A new report by Staffing Industry Analysts ranks Grab as the fourth-largest business-to-consumer human cloud platform after Uber, Didi Chuxing and Lyft.

Grab’s deal includes...

Hiring plans ‘relatively stable’ in Mexico; concerns linger over election, NAFTA and skill shortage

Mexican employers continue to report steady hiring plans for the upcoming quarter, according to a survey by ManpowerGroup Inc. (NYSE: MAN). Payrolls are expected to increase by varying margins in all seven regions and all seven industry sectors.

The survey found 14% of employers in Mexico forecast an...