Ranks of the food, being social and the game itself on the list of the top reasons people attend a football game party, according to a survey commissioned by Farm Rich: 1, 2, 3
Percentage who noted that they have been so wrapped up in the food and social side of things they have missed a lot of the game: 40
Percentage of respondents who revealed they have called in sick to work the day after the game: 32
Source: Farm Rich.
Percentage of Americans who say Martin Luther King Jr. Day is an essential holiday for remembering the importance of U.S. civil rights, according to a survey by Reputation Leaders: 75
Percentage of U.S. adults nationally who agree that civil rights are as important in 2021 as at any time in the last 30 years: 80
Source: Reputation Leaders Ltd.
Percentage increase in searches for homes in ski towns in the fourth quarter of 2020, with much of the increased demand coming from "snowbirds" -- people who generally migrate to warmer climates in the winter -- as they search for homes with outdoor recreation options closer to home during the pandemic, according to a report from Realtor.com: 36
Ranks of Union Dale, Pennsylvania; Choteau, Montana; and North Creek, New York, on the list of resorts showing the greatest increases in searches: 1, 2, 3
Source: Realtor.com.
Percentage increase in retail sales during 2020's November-December holiday season over the same period in 2019, to $789.4 billion, exceeding the National Retail Federation's holiday forecast, despite the economic challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, according to research by NRF: 8.3
Source: NRF.
Percentage of retirees who reported that their standard of living was the same or higher in retirement than when they were working: according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute's Spending in Retirement Survey: 69
Percentage of respondents who felt their spending level is about the right amount for what they could afford.: 61
Percentage who reported that they had saved more than was needed for retirement, while nearly half (46%) reported having saved less than they needed: 18
Source: EBRI.
Ranks of recruiting and retaining top talent, recession risk, vaccine availability and accelerating digital transformation on the list of issues that will keep business leaders up at night in the new year, according to a survey of C-suite executives from the Conference Board: 1, 2, 3, 4
Ranks of reduced office space, reduced business travel and increases in automation tasks on the list of the most likely long-term impacts of COVID-19 in the United States: 1, 2, 3
Source: The Conference Board.
Number of times more likely that men are than women to get a credit card annual fee waived, according to a WalletHub survey: 2
Percentage of Americans who would rather call their in-laws than their credit card company: 50
Percentage of consumers who agree that calling customer service is worth it: 75
Among credit card users who have called customer service, percentage who have gotten a fee waived: 41
Source: WalletHub.
For those in households that have suffered a setback in income during the pandemic, monthly average for checking account costs, according to a new Bankrate.com report: $11
Monthly average paid by those who say their household income has not been negatively impacted by the pandemic: less than $3
Source: Bankrate.com.
Percentage of Americans who said they are more interested in smart home technology now that they're spending more time at home, according to a survey by realtor.com: 25
Percentage of smart home technology owners who have bought at least one device or feature since the pandemic began: 41
Ranks of smart TVs, smart speakers, smart doorbells and robot vacuums on the list of the most commonly owned products: 1, 2, 3, 4
Source: Realtor.com.
Percentage of Americans who think income inequality will increase this year, compared to 66% of global respondents, according to Ipsos research: 48
Percentage of Americans who think increased income inequality is unlikely, compared to 24% of their global counterparts: 35
Percentage of Americans who believe a new global pandemic caused by a new virus will confront the world in 2021, compared to 47% of global respondents: 34
Idle Thought
"He who establishes his argument by noise and command, shows that his reason is weak." -- Michel De Montaigne, essayist
(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.)