The Big Picture

By Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 5/24/2004

Marketing spending

Blackfriars Communications' marketing index indicates that second-quarter spending will rise 58 percent compared to the year-ago quarter. Blackfriars said senior executives spent less than half their budgeted marketing money in the first quarter.

March construction spending came in at $944.1 billion, 1.5 percent above the previous month and 7.9 percent above the March 2003 estimate, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.

The price of oil rose above $41 a barrel for the first time in 13 years even as Saudi Arabia asked OPEC to open up production amid surging worldwide demand. U.S. gasoline prices are expected to rise further.