Monthly Archives: February 2024

Higher Growth Ahead?

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs The US economy hasn’t slowed. Fourth quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth was down slightly from 3.3 percent to 3.2 percent in the second estimate, but predictions for first quarter 2024 growth have increased. BEAgdp “The increase in … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Politics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Global Connections TV Interview

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Popular Economics Weekly

Answering Kennedy’s Call Here is Global Connections Television interview about Building Community: Answering Kennedy’s Call, a memoir of my years of public service. Global Connections Television (GCTV), the only talk show of its type in the world, has featured a myriad of … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Another Housing Recession?

Posted on February 22, 2024 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner The 30-year conforming fixed rate has again risen above 7 percent in just one month, and the effect is immediate. Housing construction has slowed once again, in spite of the severe housing shortage. Construction is 14.8 percent … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Housing, housing market, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

High Productivity the Key

Posted on February 19, 2024 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs There is a major reason the US economy is doing well in so many ways—with plunging inflation, surging consumer spending, and the highest economic growth of developed countries—that is often overlooked in economic reports. Labor productivity has been … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Macro Economics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Slower Retail Sales, Lower Inflation?

Posted on February 16, 2024 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs The New Year is proving to have lots of ups and downs as consumer spending slows from the holidays. Tax season is afoot, of course, a time when consumers tend to save more and spend less. That’s why … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Macro Economics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Why the Inflation Debate?

Posted on February 14, 2024 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner This month’s Consumer Price index looked hotter at first glance, but it wasn’t. It was slightly cooler, so there was no real reason for yesterday’s 500 pt. plunge in the DOW. That’s where the debate is raging … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Housing, housing market, Macro Economics, Politics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Inflation Still Too High?

Posted on February 9, 2024 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs In an excellent piece in MarketWatch, Jeffry Bartash quoted Fed Chair Powell on remarks he made last week in a 60 Minutes interview. Why do Americans still seem unhappy with the economy in many surveys? “People are going … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Macro Economics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Soft Landing, What’s Next?

Posted on February 6, 2024 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner The US economy has landed with the huge Q4 GDP growth spurt of 3.3 percent, and 335,000 nonfarm payroll jobs created, and inflation close to the Fed’s 2% target rate. What happens next? It looks like it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Macro Economics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

US Economy Has Landed–Part II

Posted on February 2, 2024 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly I said last week there’s no longer any doubt the US economy has made a soft landing because the economy grew 3.3 percent in Q4 2023 and 3.1 percent for the year. The first look at employment … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Macro Economics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Interest Rates About To Fall?

Posted on February 1, 2024 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs Fed Chair Jerome Powell was as ambiguous as ever at yesterday’s post-FOMC press conference. He reported the Fed Governors decided no more rate hikes were warranted, but they needed to be more confident that inflation had been tamed … Continue reading →

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Economy, Macro Economics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment