WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy’s bounce-back last quarter from a dismal winter was even faster than previously thought, a sign that growth will likely remain solid for rest of the year. The economy as measured by gross domestic product grew at a 4.6 percent annual rate in the April-June quarter, the Commerce Department said Friday. It was the fastest pace in more than two years and higher than the government’s previous estimate of 4.2 percent.  Read more

DENVER – Here’s something that could make your day: Colorado is one of the happiest states in the country, according to an analysis by WalletHub.com. Researchers took a look at state-specific figures about income, health, divorce rates and other factors to come up with the list, on which Colorado ranked fourth overall. The state did even better when researchers looked at emotional and physical well-being, said Jill Gonzalez, spokeswoman for WalletHub.  Read more

Phil Anschutz, whose initial success in the Wyoming oil fields enabled him to expand his holdings to include some 150 companies encompassing energy, transportation, communications, lodging, sports, entertainment and real estate, has been named Citizen of the West for 2015. He will accept the award at a Jan. 12 dinner to benefit the National Western Scholarship Trust.  Read more

Metro Denver’s economy last year ranked 18th out of 381 metro areas in terms of the value of its goods and services produced, according to a Bureau of Economic Analysisreport released Tuesday. Led by the natural resources sector, metro Denver’s GDP (gross domestic product) was $178.8 billion in 2013, up from $168.7 billion in 2012, the BEA report said. That gave the metro area 4.3 percent GDP growth last year, ranking it 47th out of 381 in percent change.  Read more

DENVER BUSINESS JOURNAL – There’s nothing hipper in the business world than being a successful startup. It’s exciting to talk about nimble, young entrepreneurs taking risks to create their own opportunities and add jobs to the economy. Read More…  Read more

The Denver area has the nation’s seventh-fastest growing tech industry wages, and one tech-friendly neighborhood where office rent is among the fastest rising in the country. A national report on U.S tech industry real estate markets recently released by Jones Lange LaSalle (JLL), the Chicago-based real estate firm, ranked the Denver area among the two dozen U.S.  Read more

Middle-market companies lack the influence and power of large corporations and don’t get the support and resources showered on small businesses. But there is a growing movement to help the middle children of commerce forge a separate identity and speak with their own voice. “The middle is overlooked,” said Gary LaBranche, president and CEO of ACG Global, speaking at a panel on the topic held at the University of Colorado Denver Business School on Tuesday evening.  Read more