The Mecklenburg Times December 28, 2021

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Perks are Great, But People Want Career Growth & Wellness Benefits Page 3

Redfin Reports Mortgage Payments Rose Faster Than Rents for the 8th Consecutive Month in September Page 2

WAR FOR TALENT: The Great Rehiring Amidst High Turnover

Is Home Where The Heart Is? Mayflower Reveals Where Americans Are Moving - And How Location Shapes Our Identities

Page 4

Rude Behavior Changes Rental Plans Page 5

The Future -- Your Future -- Is ‘Out There Page 6

US stocks fall after jump in wholesale prices last month Page 7

There’s no place like home – but how do you find “home” after relocating? In new customer data and survey findings, Mayflower reveals how Americans are defining their identities in new places amid the great reshuffling across the nation.

Today, Mayflower shared the results of its new “Finding Home” data, indicating the top states and cities Americans moved to throughout the past two years.

The data showed that, among locations where Mayflower supported 800 or more total moves, Idaho experienced a higher percentage of inbound moves than any other state from July 2019 to July 2021.

In addition, Sarasota, Fla., saw a higher

percentage of inbound migration compared to any other major metropolitan area during the same timeframe.

Alongside the migration data, a new survey from Mayflower, also released today, revealed nearly three-fourths of Americans (74%) feel they have a hometown. However, the meaning of “hometown” is in the eye of the beholder: 58% think of their hometown as the place they come from, while 42% think of their hometown as the place they’re currently living.

According to the survey: • Millennials (76%) are the most likely generation to consider moving back

to a city they lived in before, compared to 66% of Gen X, 59% of Gen Z and just 37% of Baby Boomers.

• More than half (57%) are likely to adopt the professional sports team from their new location.

• Nearly half (48%) of movers say the proximity to arts and culture venues helped influence where they moved to.

Notably, this is higher among men than women (57% vs. 39%) and among Gen Z (58%) and Millennials (65%) compared to Boomers (26%).

• Those in the Northeast (61%)

PLEASE SEE HOME ON PAGE 6

“With a broad network of more than 200 agencies, our recent data also points to the broader moving patterns we’re seeing among Americans during this time of great reshuffling.” ” xxxxxxx, xxxxx

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Redfin Reports Mortgage Payments Rose Faster Than Rents for the 8th Consecutive Month in September Average monthly rents increased 11% nationwide over the past year, the highest growth rate in at least two years, according to a new report from Redfin.

The national median monthly mortgage payment for homebuyers went up even faster, climbing 15% since September 2020. This is the eighth consecutive month that growth in median mortgage payments for new homebuyers has outpaced that of rents.

Rent price increases outpaced mortgage payments for new homebuyers in 26 of the 50 largest metro areas in the US during September.

Rents are rising the fastest in Florida The metro areas with the biggest increases in rent prices were clustered in southern Florida where people have been flocking to escape more expensive metros in the northeast, but some expensive cities like Seattle and New York were also in the top 10. Rents were up the most from a year earlier in Fort Lauderdale, Miami,

and West Palm Beach, which all saw rents go up 36%.

“Florida is seeing some of the largest increases in rents thanks to migration from remote workers who previously lived in cities like New York or San Francisco,” said Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather. “Because out-of-towners typically rent before buying, this migration is likely driving a larger spike in demand for rentals compared to homes for sale. Florida also has some of the highest climate risks in the country from sea-level rise, storms and heat. So renting may be particularly attractive to residents who don’t want to make a long-term bet on the Florida housing market.”

Top 10 Metro Areas With Fastest-Rising Rents 1.

Fort Lauderdale, FL (+36%) 2.

Miami, FL (+36%) 3.

West Palm Beach, FL (+36%) 4.

Tampa, FL (+34%) 5.

Seattle, WA (+27%) 6.

Nassau County, NY (+27%)

7.

New Brunswick, NJ (+27%) 8.

New York, NY (+27%) 9.

Newark, NJ (+27%) 10. Orlando, FL (+26%) Only one metro area saw a decrease in rent in September compared to a year earlier: Rents fell 1% in Pittsburgh, PA. Rents were flat from a year ago in St. Louis, MO. Redfin’s rent-versus-own analysis referenced in this press release uses data from more than 20,000 apartment buildings across the US. The report combines rental data on all sizes of apartments for rent with home sales data on all residential home sales (single-family, townhouse and condos) from public records and the multiple listing service (MLS). When the report refers to the median mortgage payment for new homebuyers, it is based on a 5% down payment, the median sale price during the month and the average mortgage interest rate for the month. The report uses a 5% down payment in order to be comparable to what an average renter may be able to reasonably achieve in savings.

Staff report

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3

Employees Have Upper Hand in Pandemic-Induced Power Shift, According to New “Beamery Talent Index”

Two thirds of U.S. and UK workers who experienced more work flexibility during the pandemic want employers to prioritize work-life balance moving forward and three quarters acknowledge they are now being heard but still - half are looking for a new job. These findings and more from the latest “Beamery Talent Index” spotlight the stark gap between employee optimism about post-pandemic workplace policies and retention issues plaguing employers as the Great Resignation of the global workforce continues.

“In the fierce battle for talent, businesses across the globe continue to grapple with a tremendous amount of rapid change, from work environments to employee perceptions and preferences, all of which are reflected in our new Talent Index findings,” said Abakar Saidov, Co-Founder and CEO at Beamery. “As workers call for employers to meet - and anticipate - their evolving needs, it demands that businesses take a truly talent-first approach to attract and retain employees, and optimize the workplace of today and tomorrow.”

Workers Confident About Finding New Jobs Of the 5,000 employed adults surveyed in the U.S. and UK, almost three quarters (72%) are confident in their ability to find a new job, half (53%) are considering leaving their current role within the next 12 months, and 23% are actively looking for a new job. The majority (81%) say the pandemic gave them time to make that decision with some soul searching leading a quarter (26%) to change their career path and goals.

Happiness in the Moment Doesn’t Mean Loyalty Three quarters (74%) of respondents acknowledge they are happy with their companies’ return-to-work policies, despite half of the total eyeing new job opportunities. 51% say their employers have been supportive and have prioritized their wellbeing during the pandemic, but seeds of doubt have crept in as almost half (49%) feel the lack of face time with their employers over the past 12 months has hindered their chances of promotion.

There’s a split decision when it comes to whether workfrom-home helped or hindered creativity. Looking ahead, two thirds (68%) say they’ve been offered a more flexible work schedule, a move that may satisfy people’s reported desire both for the in-person interaction they perceive to fuel career growth combined with the flexibility to work from home.

More Work-Life Balance, Please Workers have had a taste of better work-life balance and they aren’t turning back. In fact, more than a third (37%) actually think their work-life balance was better during the worst of the pandemic and 42% want flexible working opportunities returning to the office. In their current roles, 45% of office workers say they will be returning to the office full-time, whilst just 29% will have flexibility as to when they go in. For organizations looking to reassure and retain staff, it’s optimistic to see that almost three quarters (71%) think their employers clearly understand what matters to them in a post-COVID workplace.

Perks are Great, But People Want Career Growth & Wellness Benefits Along with flexibility, wellness benefits matter. So does support for career growth, according to the majority (83%) of respondents who say their company should help with career progression. But 44% say their employer doesn’t have a talent acceleration program to address high achievers. Nearly a third (31%) say they want more mental health support. 24% feel that HR departments are making changes to prioritize mental health and 25% say their company is providing more online training, signaling small signs of progress with much room for improvement. The most desirable perks for employees are free or subsidized travel (23%), discounts on products outside the workplace (23%) and dental care plans (20%).

Opinions Vary by Geography, Demographic The Beamery Talent Index data shows U.S. employees believe their employers have prioritized their wellbeing (56%) more than employees in the UK (45%), and U.S. workers are happier with their organizations return-to-office policies, while UK employers are more flexible when it comes to working from home. Mental health support is a bigger priority for employees in the U.S. vs UK (33% compared to 29%), a bigger priority for women vs men, and the top priority for younger employees ages 18-24. Meanwhile, men are more likely than women to think that collaboration and creativity has been hampered in the last 12 months.

Staff report

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InsideTract

WAR FOR TALENT: The Great Rehiring Amidst High Turnover

A new survey of over 1,000 C-suite executives and HR managers, commissioned by hiring software company Greenhouse, finds that 78% of organizations plan to increase hiring in H2 2021, yet almost 68% expect attrition to increase at the same time. More than half (53%) of employers cite the desire for a better work-life balance as the primary cause of turnover.

This new wave of hiring goes beyond just making up for lost headcount and resignations. Over 60% of leaders surveyed said they plan to increase headcount by 50% or more in H2 2021. While 33% of new job postings aim to return staffing to pre-COVID levels, 60% will be for new roles as companies look to fuel their future growth. In order to take on what’s next, companies need to have a winning talent strategy to succeed.

A large majority (84%) of respondents believe that hiring is a top priority for their CEO, but with demand for talent so high, the power is now in candidates’ hands. The next generation of employees are vocal about the kind of workplaces they are looking for. Of the most popular benefits candidates mention, 63% want a flexible working schedule, while 57% want the option of hybrid or remote working, compared to only 12% looking for in-office perks.

“Most CEOs say hiring is one of their top priorities, but intention alone without a structured process, is useless. With over 60% of senior business executives saying they are actively involved in hiring across an entire organization, CEOs need to capture the momentum in order to make a change in their hiring process,” said Daniel Chait, CEO and Co-founder, Greenhouse. “Businesses that have a copy and paste strategy are bringing an old playbook to a new game. It’s a recipe for disaster, and cuts out many great candidates. Not only are you falling behind your competitors in attracting talent, you’re likely permeating unconscious biases in the types of people you hire and limiting your ability to create an inclusive workplace for the employees you have. Before long, they’ll be polishing their own resumes and looking elsewhere.”

The past year has caused many individuals to rethink their career choices, and employers have been put on notice. As companies lay out their plans for the post-pandemic workplace, employees aren’t prepared to stick around if businesses fall at the first hurdle. Results of this survey show that disagreement with company return-to-office plans could be a leading cause of attrition, with 33% of respondents predicting that this will have an impact on employee churn.

In an effort to increase headcount and stave off high attrition levels, leaders are taking proactive steps to attract and retain talent. Almost three-quarters (71%) of organizations aim to increase or expand existing benefits, 59% are looking to introduce a new bonus scheme, while 56% are considering giving employees additional time-off.

The COVID-19 pandemic had an undeniable impact on recruiting, leading many businesses to pause or scale back their hiring goals. As the economy has rebounded, so too has the number of jobs created, and as companies continue to embrace distributed work, they now compete for talent on a national and global scale.

“In employee retention, as in hiring, it’s a candidate’s world,” said Chait. “Leaders need to understand that people have more choices where to work than ever before. Paying your people appropriately is just the start.

Your hiring strategy needs to create a culture of purpose, where people feel they belong and can express their identity. Ultimately, your hiring problems become your retention problems, and vice versa.”

Key findings of the survey:

• 84% of respondents believe that hiring is a top priority for their CEO and describe over 60% of senior business executives as “very involved” in hiring • Over 60% of leaders surveyed said they plan to increase headcount by 50% or more in H2 2021 • Top measures companies are taking to retain talent include: • Increase or expand benefits (71%) • New bonus scheme (59%) • Extra time-off (56%) Staff report

20/20 Foresight Launches Capital Connect 20/20 Foresight has announced the launch of Capital Connect. Capital Connect offers the only fully integrated real estate marketing platform – the most extensive real estate contact database in the business, plus a full tech stack that supports email marketing, analytics, automatic real-time updates, client relationship management, and lead management. This platform will allow real estate professionals to expand their network, raise capital faster and more efficiently, and promote their services to the widest audience.

Capital Connect is the brainchild of the Executive Team at 20/20 Foresight. Founded in 1994, 20/20 Foresight is the largest real estate-focused executive search firm in the U.S. Ranked by Forbes as one of America’s Best Executive Recruiters, 20/20 Foresight has been motivated by a relentless drive for innovation.

Over the last decade, 20/20 Foresight built an unparalleled database of real estate investment companies, private equity firms, REITs, and commercial and residential lenders. This database, comprised of 430,000+ contacts, was married to an integrated technology solution that supports email marketing, analytics, automatic real-time updates, client relationship management, and lead management.

“We quickly realized we had something unique. Most robust email marketing platforms do not have a database. And most databases, rich with market data and research, do not provide a marketing platform. Our solution offers the best of both worlds,” noted the Founder of 20/20 Foresight and Capital Connect Managing Principal, Bob Cavoto.

As a result, over the last several years, 20/20 Foresight loaned out use of its platform to friends of the firm. Robert Peck, Managing Principal, explained, “They found it so effective in their capital-raising efforts that we decided to share it with others and launch Capital Connect – the only fully integrated real estate marketing solution. We are confident that it will be a game changer for professionals throughout the real estate industry seeking a comprehensive solution for expanding and managing their networking.”

Capital Connect’s platform supports a broad range of clients. Whether the client is a real estate company seeking capital from the widest variety of sources available, a CRE broker structuring a complex, multilayered transaction, or an emerging proptech company looking to market its services to an actionable audience, Capital Connect ensures access to the broadest network of contacts.

Staff report

Three Out Of Four employees Want Their Company To Make Work Permanently Flexible

More than seven of 10 employees (76%) say they want their company to make work permanently flexible in terms of schedule and/or location. But their desire for work flexibility is being met with a conflicting message— employees report that their employer thinks they are more innovative and work harder on-site, according to a survey commissioned by Catalyst and CNBC, conducted

by Harris Poll.

In the survey of 903 respondents in the United States, the data shows that flexible-work options are critical for employees—76% of people say they want their company to make work permanently flexible in terms of schedule and/or location.

The report, The Great Work/Life Divide: How Employee Desire for Flexibility and Concern from Companies Is Driving the Future of Work, shows that the “Great Resignation”—the mass, voluntary exodus from the workforce—will continue if companies and managers don’t demonstrate more empathy or care and understanding for employees’ concerns as well as life/work needs.

“This survey is a wake-up call for CEOs,” said Lorraine Hariton, Catalyst President & CEO. “The 9-to-5, in-the-office paradigm is outdated, and if you don’t respond to your employees’ needs by offering flexible and remote-work options and by showing empathy, you are going to lose valuable talent and derail innovation.”

Covid impact responsible for employees seeking flexible and remote work Half of employees intend to make career change because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Of those who intend to make a career change, 41% said they are seeking flexible and/or remote work, followed by 39% who desire a raise and/or promotion and 33% with an interest in changing industries.

Almost one-third of employees who intend to make a career change because of the Covid-19 pandemic (32%) say they’re going to look for another job in the same industry, while about one in five (22%) are going to quit their current job and start their own business.

But there appears to be a disconnect between employers and employees; most workers surveyed say they are getting the message that their company thinks employees are more innovative (72%) and work harder (75%) in the office or on-site.

Among those who work 100% remotely, nearly two in five (39%) say their employer has implemented practices or policies since the pandemic that have positively impacted their willingness to stay at their job.

Workplace stress is exacerbated by returns to in-person school But there continues to be additional stress for working parents. More than half of employed parents in the United States are considering leaving their jobs because they feel their company (54%) or manager (51%) does not care about their concerns during the pandemic.

And almost two in three employed parents (65%) think their ability to do their best work has been impacted by worries over sending their children back to school in the pandemic. Most of the working parents say they want their children’s school to mandate masking for everyone (78%) and mandate vaccination for eligible students, teachers, and school staff (69%).

The data also suggests that employed parents could benefit from more support from their employer. While roughly three out of five employed parents (62%) say their employer has improved their childcare offerings and policies since last year, a similar proportion of employed parents (61%) feel they are burnt out at work from managing their children’s educational needs during Covid-19.

Interestingly, while much has been written about the impact of the pandemic on working women, the survey found that employed men are far more likely than employed women to say they are considering quitting their job because their company (50% vs. 30%) or manager (44% vs. 29%) has not cared about their concerns during the pandemic.

Staff report

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5

Rude Behavior Changes Rental Plans Q: I met with the assistant manager of an apartment complex and applied for a rental unit. She was helpful and polite and reviewed the documents that I needed to provide. I wanted to move in as soon as possible, so I returned the next day with the documents. Again, she was very helpful. She said I would hear from her in two weeks.

I waited and hadn’t heard from her in two weeks, so I called for an update.

She scolded me as a bad mother would reprimand a child who had done nothing wrong. She was no longer helpful.

She was rude, inappropriate and unprofessional. She reamed me out over calling her, repeating several times she told me that she would call me. Her behavior was bizarre after she had previously been efficient, professional and helpful.

I worry she may be bipolar, because no matter how bad a day someone has, no one should ever behave that way at work. I have worked in different companies for 20 years, and I have never and would never scold a professional as if he or she was a bad child. I can’t imagine speaking to an adult like that. I was stunned and can’t even remember how I reacted, but I know I was polite.

Now I am in a quandary about living there. If she is the one who handles tenant relations and schedules work orders, am I walking into a future dealing with an erratic person whenever I need something done? Should I report her behavior to the manager? But what if others have reported her and nothing changes? What if the manager tells her someone complained, and she figures it

out and takes revenge by never putting through work orders or being helpful if anything needs fixing? Also, I don’t know if I want to live in a building that would employ someone emotional and unprofessional like that. Moving is expensive and even more expensive if I make a mistake in choosing a building.

What should I do?

A: You have had three interactions with this assistant manager; two were positive and one was negative. Assuming you are not a psychologist, it’s not important to categorize her personality; she may have had a bad day or have problems in her personal life. There are too many variables that determine how a person behaves in any given situation.

What is important is she has shown the range of emotions she is willing to display in a workplace setting to someone she doesn’t know. She may not care because up to now, nothing has been said to her about her behavior. Or more likely, it means she has no control over emotions. Also, you may have witnessed only the tip of the iceberg regarding her inability to control her anger.

You are a potential client of the building. Regardless of how inappropriate her response was, she focused on how you violated her demand to meet her expectations. She spoke to you in a way no one would ever speak to a client -- to tell a person to not call. That shows her need to control others even when it’s inappropriate. Your simple disregard for her instructions threatened her position and self-confidence. Now imagine how she might react if you violated an

established building rule or policy.

Most residential leases require the tenant to rent for at least a year, and it would be impractical to move every year because you change your mind about the building. You might want to reconsider committing to this building until you find out more about this assistant manager’s duties and involvement with tenants. If you choose to live in the building, you will likely witness or personally experience further outbursts within the year. Someone with serious control issues has unleashed her anger before and she will likely do it again. As you value professionalism on the job, think about how often you might have to deal with her throughout the year.

Most rental tenants have periodic main-

tenance requests. Ask yourself if her behavior is more important than getting the apartment you like.

Be assured other tenants have reported her or that her manager has experienced her anger as well. If her behavior is overly upsetting to you, try to meet some of the tenants who live there to find out more about potential treatment and problems they experience.

Others may not be as sensitive as you are with rude and unprofessional behavior, as long as management handles their apartment issues.

Email LindseyNovak@yahoo.com with all workplace experiences and questions.

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The Future -- Your Future -- Is ‘Out There’ “I was downsized from a large corporation about a year ago. Having given up finding a full time position with another corporation because of my age -- I am 52 years old -- I set up a little consulting firm a while back and have met with several corporations to discuss offering my services as an independent contractor.

It is very frustrating. Nobody seems to want the work I can do. When I talk about the work I did for my old employer, they tell me either that they’re not interested or ‘we just laid off someone who did exactly that, so why should we hire you?’

I don’t feel I know any longer where I add value, or what I should be doing at this point in my life. Do you have any ideas?”

Sadly, an entire generation of aging ex-corporate executives are having this experience right now.

I admire you, first, for recognizing you are not a “victim” and that your future rests entirely in your hands, and second, for having the courage to strike out on your own as a consultant.

There is only one remaining hurdle you now need to overcome: You need to forget what’s on your resume and look for work where it actually is, not where you would like it to be.

When looking for consulting work, especially from large corporations, the work

they are looking for is rarely, if ever, the work you were doing when you were working in corporate America. Let’s face it: If that type of work was truly in demand, you probably would never have been laid off in the first place. The fact that other corporations have laid off people with similar skills means that you are looking for the wrong type of work.

When you meet with a corporation to discuss consulting work, ask lots of questions and get the other person to open up and talk about what the company is looking for. Be sure to ask specifically: --”Are you having trouble finding someone to help you with a particular project?”

--”What are some of the projects your department is working on right now that you might want to outsource?”

Too many consultants begin their sales meetings by talking about their credentials or walking through a laundry list of the work they’ve done for other companies.

Bad mistake. By doing that, you put a label on yourself, and if that label doesn’t fit any work the company needs done at that moment, you’re out of luck. When your interviewer asks you what you do, be as vague and general as possible (“operations management generalist,” “marketing strategist”) so as to create the maximum number of options for a successful “fit”.

When the person you’re talking to mentions a specific project or task they are looking for someone to do, that’s the time for you to start talking. If the job is something you have some idea how to do even if you’ve never done it before, tell your interviewer you are ready, willing and able to do the job and can get started right away.

If a company is interviewing you as a potential consultant, it’s because they need something done and they can’t find anyone with the skills or experience in-house to do it. If they had no work they needed done, they wouldn’t be talking to consultants at all. And if the necessary skills or experience were easy to find, they would already have found another consultant to do it. The fact that they’re having trouble finding someone to do something means there are few or no people in your area who know how to do it. Far from being unqualified, you are one of the best people out there to do the work. Why shouldn’t you volunteer to do it, develop the reputation of being the local expert who does that type of work and then sell your newfound expertise to other companies?

Opportunities seldom come where you expect them to be, or where you want them to be. Often, they will be only vaguely related to the work you’ve been doing. Whenever an opportunity comes your way, especially

an opportunity to do cutting-edge work in your field that probably nobody has done before, say yes, get the business and then later, in the quiet of your study, figure out how to do the work and keep the client happy. If you truly are a professional in your field, you will climb your learning curve quickly and get the job done. After all, you will be highly motivated (by fear of failure if nothing else) to do so.

There’s an old saying (attributed to Erasmus of Rotterdam, circa 1510): “In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.” Get out there beyond your comfort zone, start saying yes when companies mention specific projects they need done and don’t worry that you are not the “perfect” candidate. Sooner or later, by pushing the boundaries of your comfort zone further and further out, you will get a reputation for handling just about any consulting project in your field that anyone needs done, and the clients will be calling on you rather than the other way around.

Cliff Ennico (crennico@gmail.com) is a syndicated columnist, author and former host of the PBS television series “Money Hunt.” This column is no substitute for legal, tax or financial advice, which can be furnished only by a qualified professional licensed in your state.

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HOME FROM PAGE 1

the tastiest foods.

• Those who feel they have a hometown are more likely to recommend it as a place to live.

On the regional front, New York style pizza was cited as the favorite Northeastern regional cuisine (63%), while barbeque (44%) topped the list of Midwestern food favorites. However, compared to other regions, Westerners were most likely to say their area had no well-known foods.

When it comes to commonly used local lingo, the survey also found the most debated regional terminology to be “stuffing” versus “dressing,” with 38% preferring the former, 36% preferring the latter

and 26% unsure.

“As the most recognized and trusted moving company in the country, Mayflower moves thousands of families each year, helping them settle into their new homes and begin to explore their identities in a new place,” said Eily Cummings, director of corporate communications, Mayflower. “With a broad network of more than 200 agencies, our recent data also points to the broader moving patterns we’re seeing among Americans during this time of great reshuffling.”

Where Americans are Finding Home The top inbound states (with 800 to-

tal moves or more) from July 2019 - July 2021 were: 1.

Idaho 2.

South Carolina 3.

Oregon 4.

Tennessee 5.

Florida The top inbound metropolitan statistical areas (with 800 total moves or more) from July 2019-July 2021 were: 6.

Sarasota, Fla. 7.

Wilmington, N.C. 8.

Fort Myers-Cape Coral, Fla. 9.

Santa Fe, N.M. 10. Boise, Idaho Staff report

are significantly more likely to cite arts and culture venues as an influence compared to the South (46%), West (45%) and Midwest (44%).

• Roughly two thirds (67%) indicate the weather as a top influence, followed by proximity to parks, green spaces and nature trails (61%).

• Roughly half of movers chose their own region as having the most delicious foods. Aside from respective regions, the South emerged as the second leading response across all regions, with 38% of respondents saying the South is home to

{ The Mecklenburg Times }

xxxxx, xxxx, 2021 mecktimes.com

7

US stocks fall after jump in wholesale prices last month

BY DAMIAN J. TROISE AP BUSINESS WRITER Stocks fell in afternoon trading on Wall Street Tuesday as traders took in the latest sign that inflation is still running high ahead of the Federal Reserve’s last meeting of the year.

The S&P 500 index fell 1.2% as of 12:05 p.m. Eastern. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 175 points, or 0.5%, to 35,473 and the Nasdaq fell 1.9%.

Technology stocks led the losses. Microsoft fell 4.3% and Adobe shed 7.6%.

A mix of retailers and several big communications companies also fell.

Amazon fell 1.6% and Google parent

Alphabet fell 2.6%.

Bond yields edged higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 1.43% from 1.42%. That helped banks make gains, as they rely on higher yields to charge more lucrative interest on loans. JPMorgan Chase rose 0.8% and Bank of America rose 1.2%.

Energy stocks also managed to rise despite a 2.2% drop in U.S. crude oil prices.

Investors received another update on persistently rising inflation. The Labor Department reported that prices at the wholesale level surged by a record 9.6% in November from a year earlier. The department’s producer price index measures inflation before

it reaches consumers.

Businesses have been dealing with supply chain problems and higher costs for months. It has been a key concern for investors as big companies pass those costs off to consumers, who have so far been absorbing higher prices on everything from groceries to clothing and other consumer products.

The discouraging report on inflation precedes the last two-day meeting of the Federal Reserve this year, which starts Tuesday. The central bank is expected to speed up the withdrawal of economic stimulus measures in the face of rising inflation. Specifically, it plans to speed up the process for trimming bond purchases, which have

helped keep interest rates low and support the stock market and broader economy.

Investors are also monitoring the central bank for any statements on how soon it might raise interest rates in 2022.

Wall Street is also closely monitoring any news on the newest coronavirus variant that is spreading rapidly in Britain and some other regions. It appears to cause less severe disease than previous versions of the coronavirus, according to an analysis of data from South Africa. Pfizer’s vaccine seems to offer less defense against infection from it but still offers good protection from hospitalization.