Arizona Business News

Featured News

If you weren’t aware of it just yet, Arizona is always in the Top-10 List of States with the most auto thefts. In addition, the Phoenix Valley area and Tucson are usually in the Top-10 List of cities with the most stolen vehicles. So, living in this great State of ours requires a little preventative measures on our part.

One of the best ways to help prevent auto thefts is by joining the Arizona Watch Your Car Program. According to the the Arizona Automobile Theft Authority (AATA):

The Watch Your Car Program is a free, voluntary program whereby vehicle owners enroll their vehicles with the Arizona Automobile Theft Authority. The vehicle is then entered into the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) database and participants receive decals for their front and rear windows. By enrolling in this program, vehicle owners convey to law enforcement officials that their vehicle is not usually in use between the hours of 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM, when the majority of auto thefts occur.

Want to learn more? Download the AATA “Make Your Car Tough To Steal” brochure (pdf), and enroll today.

Economic News

The economic climate in Arizona is still faring poorly, but opinions have improved since last quarter, according to a survey of business leaders economic sentiments.

The Arizona Business Leaders Confidence Index gained 1.6 points from last quarter’s decline of 3.5 points, to a reading of 38.5. That’s the first upward move in over a year.

This forward-looking survey, which was conducted in early June, asked panelists for their expectations for the third quarter of 2008. Although a number below 50 indicates worsening conditions, its upward movement is a welcome sign that the worst may be behind us. Panel members have correctly predicted the economy’s direction-of-change nearly 70% of the time.
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Financial News

The Nightly Business Report (NBR) is offering a television series, also available in online streaming video, to help ensure that your finances will last through your retirement years.

NBR’s “Get Your Finances Ready for Retirement” is a year-long series designed to help soon-to-be and recent retirees make the financial transition from work life to retirement life. Reports will appear in the NBR program on alternate Mondays, and additional information — including companion articles from U.S. News & World Report — will appear on their website regularly.

The series already started in May 2008 and will last through April 2009. You can review past episodes on their streaming video website and schedule for upcoming shows through their broadcast calender.