IMPLAN Blog

Taxes and tariffs have resurfaced in the last few months and are at the forefront of the nation’s attention. Rumors of trade wars and threats of economic sanctions fly around the globe faster than Garfield can devour a lasagna. Historically, governments have used taxes and tariffs to stimulate or throttle markets to achieve a desired economic state of balance.

The Bureau of Labor Statistic’s (BLS) Monthly Employment Situation Report, also known simply as the monthly jobs report, is one of the most highly-anticipated and closely-watched employment reports due to the timeliness of the data – released mere weeks after the survey data are collected. However, this timeliness entails a trade-off with accuracy, and that trade-off has been costlier in recent years, with both the monthly revisions (as more survey responses flow in) and the annual revisions (the result of benchmarking to other data sources) raising eyebrows lately.  

For example, the 2024 annual benchmark revision estimates from August 2024 implied a larger than typical downward revision of over 800,000 jobs In August 2025, the seasonally adjusted employment estimates for June 2025 were revised downward by 27,000, flipping the estimate of job creation from positive to negative. The most recent benchmark revision estimates from September 2025 implied another larger than typical downward revision of over 900,000 jobs (-0.6 percent).  

In this article, we break down how the estimates in the monthly jobs report are compiled, why the estimates undergo revisions, why those revisions have been so large recently, and whether the BLS data are trustworthy. 

For decades, IMPLAN has empowered organizations to understand the ripple effects of economic activity. Until now, that view has centered on backward linkages: how industries support others through what they purchase. But today, we’re proud to announce a breakthrough that flips the script.

With the release of IMPLAN’s Forward Linkages Insights, you can now follow the story in the other direction, capturing how price changes and industry contributions cascade forward through supply chains, shaping costs, outputs, and opportunities across the broader economy.

This isn’t just another feature update. It’s a new lens for economic impact analysis, unlocking downstream effects in ways never before possible in IMPLAN.

International students have long been important contributors to the U.S. economy, not only through tuition payments but also through their everyday spending in the communities where they study. Beyond classrooms and campuses, international students support local restaurants, retail stores, healthcare providers, housing markets, and more.

But as new restrictions and heightened uncertainty around international enrollment take hold, the potential loss of this spending represents a significant risk to both local economies and the national economy. 

This IMPLAN analysis examines what happens if foreign student spending in the U.S. declines. To account for near-term uncertainty, we modeled the effect of a 10% reduction in student expenditures.

Across the U.S., rural communities hold immense untapped potential, but they often face an uphill climb when it comes to attracting the capital needed to realize it. Opportunities abound in logistics hubs, industrial redevelopment, workforce housing, and renewable energy infrastructure, but many rural projects are overlooked by institutional investors.

Why? Time and again, the same challenge emerges: a lack of clear, localized data.

Environmental responsibility is no longer optional – it’s essential. Global mandates are rapidly reshaping the landscape of climate disclosure, and IMPLAN is uniquely positioned to help organizations navigate it with confidence. In the US and abroad, new regulations require scope-based reporting. IMPLAN now empowers climate-conscious decision makers with powerful environmental data for US-based data offerings, capturing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by industry and region, and connecting them directly to economic impact results.

We’re pleased to announce the release of IMPLAN’s Time Series Data: your key to unlocking deeper understanding with historic consistency.

Time Series Data empowers you to move beyond one-year snapshots and start uncovering long-term economic trends with clarity and confidence. Whether you're analyzing regional economic growth, industry shifts, or policy outcomes, our Time Series Data gives you a foundation to build on.

Designed to provide more accurate, consistent, and transparent economic analysis from 2001 to 2022, our Time Series Data gives you the tools you need to understand economic impacts with more precision than ever before.

Recent economic headlines show a mixed bag for the U.S. economy. According to Reuters, U.S. retail sales fell more sharply in May 2025 than economists expected. Meanwhile, manufacturing output barely moved, reinforcing concerns about slowing momentum. But what do these numbers actually mean in terms of economic impact?

When you’re delving into economic analysis, you'll often encounter North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes. NAICS codes (pronounced like “snakes” without the “s”) are essential for categorizing businesses and understanding economic data. 

In today’s blog, we’ll break down what NAICS codes are, how they correspond with IMPLAN sectors, and why they matter for your economic impact analysis.

It’s important to keep an eye on economic diversity, especially in times of economic uncertainty and when supply and demand are shifting. The Shannon-Weaver index is a powerful tool for measuring how evenly or unevenly the employment in any region is distributed among its industries. In today’s blog, we’re exploring how the S-W index works in IMPLAN and what it means for your economic impact studies.