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According to a new report by RealtyTrac, home price appreciation has outpaced wage growth in 76% of housing markets amid the economic recovery. This has increased over the past two years by a 13-to-1 ratio. But in New Jersey, the condition is totally different.

According to Daren Blomquist, vice president of Realty Trac, "Generally, you would think that wages outpacing home price growth would be a good thing because it would indicate that there is more room for home prices to grow and I do think that is the case in New Jersey".

He also added that home prices are not growing and this is one of the reasons behind wages outpacing home price growth in some regions. He also added that they're observing a small decline in most of the New Jersey markets.

On Thursday, Microsoft said that it will push its US suppliers give their employees paid time off, however it will be done only for staffers who work for Microsoft. According to Microsoft, it has approximately 2,000 US suppliers, who offer services like security and maintenance.

The company is not aware regarding the number of its suppliers, which don't provide paid time off. The company got the information regarding the matter from workers and media reports.

Fewer people applied for US unemployment benefits last week. Economy experts said this is an indication that strong hiring continues despite signs of slower economic growth at the start of 2015.

The Labor Department on Thursday said that weekly applications for unemployment aid dropped 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 282,000.

The decrease suggests that a recent slowdown in manufacturing, housing starts and retail sales has so far not hit the job market. This is an indication that economic growth will rebound after a harsh winter.

The four-week average, a less volatile measure, tumbled 7,750 to 297,000. Over the past 12 months, the average has dipped roughly 7%.

Swedish headquarters of McDonald's has unveiled a capsule collection of clothes and other items printed all over with Big Mac images. The sandwich-themed items were launched in 'McWalk' fashion show at a mall in Stockholm.

The capsule collection included raincoat, thermal tops and bottoms, pillowcase, a dog coat, rainboots, and duvet cover. According to reports, the small collection will also be available online at the Big Mac Shop in Sweden. As per a statement given by the company, a part of the sales will go to the Ronald McDonald Children's Fund.

An annual industry report revealed that PepsiCo Inc.'s Pepsi-Cola has gone head of Coca-Cola Co.'s Diet Coke to become the No. 2 soda brand in the US in 2014.

The annual report shows that diet sodas continue to lose popularity. Overall soda use by American people decreased for the tenth straight year, but at a more modest speed than the preceding year. As per an annual report by the industry tracker Beverage Digest, full-calorie Coke of Coca-Cola remained the most popular soda across the country in 2014.

Overall soda use in the United States decreased 0.9% last year and it marked the tenth straight year of decline. In the US, health-conscious consumers are moving away from carbonated drinks to energy drinks and other alternatives.

On Thursday, the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it would allow a Texas man to import the trophy of an endangered black rhinoceros that he had won as part of a conservation fundraiser.

According to the agency, under the Endangered Species Act, the import of the carcass from Namibia would meet the criteria of benefiting conservation.

Last year, Corey Knowlton bid $350,000 during an auction at the Dallas Safari Club. It was billed as a part of the fundraising effort to save the black rhino.

In a December letter, the club's executive director said that the money raised from such actions is important to support the Namibian government in their efforts to stem the tide of commercial killing of these animals.