"Producer prices remain in deflation because of falling commodity prices," said Moody's Analytics before the report.
Housing started last year on a high note. It ended the year facing mounting worries about higher interest rates, supply constraints, tight credit and a host of other problems.
Companies that cut support roles during the downturn, the report notes, will be "adding staff to help make departments more productive and efficient." That trend may herald a happy new year for job hunters.