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The National Association for Business Economics said its industry survey found that the outlook for employment is improving, with 37 percent of the 67 members who took part expecting to increase payrolls. This compared with 29 percent in January. The labor market is gradually improving; NABE survey’s findings support anecdotal evidence of firms hiring again. The economy in March saw its largest jobs gain in three years, largely driven by private sector hiring. (Reuters)

The U.S. property/casualty industry’s profitability as measured by their rate of return on average policyholders’ surplus (or statutory net worth) increased by 5.8 percent in 2009, while private P/C insurers’ net income after taxes rose to $28.3 billion in 2009 from $3 billion the year before. However, the recession and financial crisis continues to hamper the industry’s overall results. Insurers said the $28.3 billion in net income for 2009 is less than half of their $62.5 billion in net income for 2007. Similarly, insurers’ 5.8 percent overall rate of return for last year was less than half of their 12.4 percent rate of return for 2007.