Where thought finds leadership

Why are small business card balances rising?

Boston and Portland are attracting workers with new job prospects while those moving to Seattle are seeing the biggest pay jump.

Childcare payments have risen over 30% since 2019, pressuring families to spend less and draw on savings more across all incomes.

Consumer spending in September remains supported by a resilient labor market, but slowing wage growth and rising childcare payments pose risks. Learn more here.

The gap in spending growth between the older and younger generations may narrow, but is unlikely to completely disappear.

Small business hiring is catching up to overall job growth, although higher interest rates and quality of labor remain concerns.

Moderating wage growth has led to a small uptick in gig work, particularly driven by ridesharing and younger generations.

Though the Northeast is facing population loss, it also sees strong consumer spending and future manufacturing growth.

We answer six frequently asked questions around student loans and the possible impact from the resumption of repayments.

While card balances and student loan payments begin to heat up, consumer spending remains stable and deposit balances elevated.

Consumer travel demand was resilient this summer, but data suggests we’ve moved from “exuberance” to “normalization.”

New business formation is booming and is notably strong in the healthcare sector, which is seeing spending and profit growth.

We revisit spending in city centers and find that while northern cities continue to struggle, spending in southern cities is up.

With median insurance payments rising an average of 5.7% since 2020, how are growing home and auto premiums impacting consumers?

Consumer perceptions of their finances have deteriorated, yet deposit levels remain elevated and spending continues. Why?

Consumer spending had a summer bounce in July, with lower- and middle-income households looking particularly resilient.

Small business payments grew in July led by construction spending as demand for building in the manufacturing sector ramps up.

Which U.S. cities are facing long term housing shortages? Our latest migration flow analysis explains. 

Overall consumer spending remains stable, but higher housing costs are impacting spending by renters more than homeowners.

As small businesses face increasingly tight profit margins, payroll spending growth is beginning to slow.

The pandemic-era rise in online retail spending has continued, posing real challenges for brick-and-mortar stores.

While consumer spending has stabilized, rising housing costs and pending student loan payments are pressuring younger consumers.

Despite tightening credit conditions, loan financing for small businesses has not shown a meaningful decline.

Our near real-time estimates of migration flows suggest a continuation of pandemic-era moving trends.

We highlight some areas of weakness beneath the surface of a buoyant labor market.

While the overall labor market remains buoyant, higher-income households are seeing some pockets of weakness.

Our analysis suggests the western U.S. is not in recession, with consumer spending strengthening this year relative to the broader U.S.

Though small business payments levels remain strong, small businesses are pulling back on spending and slowing hiring.

Residual pent-up demand for cruises and international trips is helping drive ongoing travel spending.

Beyond student loans and grants, 529s remain a significant way to pay for education. We discuss five contribution trends. 

While this cohort’s spending lagged the average over the pandemic, there are signs of a catch-up at the start of 2023.

While spending was no slam dunk due to weaker wage growth and lower tax refunds, consumers continue to have financial buffers.

The recent decline in gig workers is driven by lower demand for deliveries and a rotation into traditional labor markets.

Despite concerns of tighter lending, small businesses saw little disruption to their operations in March.

Consumers are returning to social leisure activities post-pandemic, but will inflation threaten their good time?

While not a beneficiary of domestic migration like the South, Midwestern cities stand out for consumer goods spending growth.

Consumer spending growth decelerated in February, but continues to be supported by positive fundamentals.

Exploring city-level housing data to uncover the factors driving an increase in rent and mortgage payments across the Southern US.

Higher operational costs are squeezing small business profits, though resilient consumer spending provides some relief.

Seniors are spending at a faster pace, supported by the historic increase in social security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).

Who are the more than 2 million workers who haven’t returned to the labor force and what has happened to them?

Consumer spending strengthened in January supported by stronger labor income, but the less affluent still face more challenges.

Despite slowing revenues, payments to small business hiring firms remain robust.

While auto sales struggled in 2022 amidst supply snarls, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Consumer spending in cities appears to have lagged the overall U.S., with remote work and population loss driving the shift.

After a solid year, the consumer may feel the weight of 2023, but for now they are heading to the gym in OK financial shape.

Small business hiring continues to moderate, though payroll payments remained more resilient for firms with lower revenues.

With food security falling and global temperatures rising, food systems must adapt to feed more people and be more sustainable.

Agriculture technology plays a pivotal role in providing sustainable solutions to issues facing the agriculture sector.

As the first anniversary of the IRA approaches, we break down the bill and discuss 10 places where its impact is most evident. 

U.S. Electric Vehicle adoption is accelerating and broadening out from the West, with the South and Midwest showing strong growth.

10% of global emissions are from the fashion industry. Sustainable fashion is making important contributions to reduce its impact.

Our 10 key findings around the private sector’s role in transitioning to a low-carbon future.

How important has biodiversity become? We walk through ten key points to better understand its growing impact.

As the Earth warms, challenges hinder efforts to tackle climate change. We outline obstacles to the energy transition.

As mounting inflationary pressures disproportionately impact women, can company benefits help “inflation-proof” their wallets?

A slower labor market recovery for women-intensive sectors has inhibited progress towards closing the workforce gender gap.

After facing significant challenges, where do nonprofits stand and what investments are needed to secure their long-term futures?

Companies are in a race to net zero and BofA Global Research analysts say more than 9 out of 10 have a clear plan to get there.

Following a surge in 2020, a smaller share of affluent households gave to charities last year, but volunteering has rebounded.

As AI sparks efficiency, BofA Global Research says it will have positive financial impact on 75% of companies in the next 5 years.

As employees’ feelings of financial wellness hit an all-time low, employers must evolve and meet the needs of today’s workforce.

Financial activity in Health Savings Accounts varies by gender, with women behind men in participation, balances and investments.

The tokenization of traditional assets may reshape infrastructures and public and private markets over the next 5 to 15 years.

As the threats from deepfakes escalate, there are proactive steps organizations can take to protect their businesses.

How has the workplace mental health landscape evolved and what are employers’ options moving forward?

From obesity drugs to an Alzheimer’s blood test, 12 emerging technologies with the greatest potential to transform healthcare.

As cyberattacks increase, so does the importance of maintaining a robust cybersecurity stack. But what's next on the horizon?

A recent study uncovers unique motivators, priorities and challenges facing the Asian American Pacific Islander Community.

As US healthcare spend continues to grow, value-based care could curb the costs and result in better patient outcomes.

As artificial intelligence quickly moves toward mass adoption, we answer 10 questions to help navigate the basics.

Digital strategies are driving real-world productivity gains with the potential to reduce manufacturing costs by 25%.

As the space economy continues to grow, a robust and competitive commercial space sector is vital to continued progress.

A new study highlights how labor market inequalities can lead women to accumulate less assets over their working life.

The developing crypto-native ecosystem is accelerating the way in which digital assets are disrupting traditional industries

As scarcity accelerates, we identified 10 transformative thematic solutions and $8tn of market cap in enablers.