Economic Recovery Watch

1. The American Staffing Association Staffing Index, a weekly barometer of temporary and contract employment that is also a key coincident economic indicator and a leading indicator of total U.S. nonfarm employment reached a year-to-date high of 88 for the week ending June 26.  It was also the highest weekly reading during the month of June since 2008 three years ago.

2. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is reporting a 6.8% increase in global passenger traffic for May compared to the same month last year.  

3. Passenger traffic at Washington Reagan Airport increased 8.1% in May compared to a year ago. 

4.  The American Association of Railroads is reporting another weekly gain in rail traffic for the week ending July 2, with both carloads and intermodal volume increasing compared to the same week last year.

5. The Cass Freight Index, a monthly, broad-based measure of shipping activity across a wide range of industries reached a three-year high in June of this year, with more shipments in any single month since June 2008. 

6. Shipping volume at the Port of Portland for the month of May was 23% above the same month last year, and 63.5% above May two years ago.