Category Archives: Consumers

What Would Save the Euro?

Posted on July 6, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Now that Greece has voted NO on the latest European Commission-European Central Bank-IMF proposal (the so-called troika), will Greece stay in the Eurozone? If so, Greece may save the euro. Why is this choice even necessary when … Continue reading →

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A Good Jobs Report

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs Should we push back the first Fed rate hike to the presidential election year of 2016, because of June’s softer-than-expected employment report? Nonfarm payroll growth came in at 223,000 vs expectations for 230,000 and above. It included downward … Continue reading →

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It’s Time For the 30-hour Week

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Don’t look now, but we should soon have the 30-hour work week as the standard, instead of the 40-hour work week last enshrined during FDR’s New Deal. Why, when Americans now work more hours than any other … Continue reading →

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Consumers Earn and Spend More This Year

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs The consumer came to life in May, boosted by a 0.5 percent rise in personal income and helping to support a 0.9 percent surge in personal outlays that reflects heavy spending on autos and retail goods. The spending … Continue reading →

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Housing Beginning to Bloom

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Ultra-low interest rates are finally beginning to pay off.  The housing season is beginning to bloom—for first-time homebuyers, in particular. The National Association of Realtors reports total existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, … Continue reading →

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Why Lower Growth, Higher Corporate Profits?

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly First-quarter economic growth wasn’t as bad as expected, yet corporate profits were much better than expected. So what are corporations doing with their profits, rather than investing in future growth? The second revision to first-quarter GDP came … Continue reading →

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Housing Construction Soars

Posted on June 17, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner Housing construction is taking off, as I predicted two weeks ago. The numbers show actual construction starts accelerating as well as building permits for future construction. It is also boosting builder confidence to a level that signals … Continue reading →

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Higher Retail Sales + Consumer Confidence = Growth

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly The consumer showed a lot of life in May, driving up retail sales 1.2 percent with gains sweeping nearly all components. A leading component in the month was motor vehicle sales which jumped 2.0 percent, excluding which … Continue reading →

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Friday’s Unemployment Report Was Gangbusters!

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Why start with motor vehicle sales, I said yesterday? Because jobs are created these days only when consumers buy more, and they will only grow their purchases when incomes are rising. So the good news in Friday’s … Continue reading →

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Where’s the Outrage, Mr. President?

Posted on June 5, 2015 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs Where’s the outrage, Mr. President, when the New York Times just reported that at least 250 Disney World employees have been discharged, with many forced to train their own foreign replacements that have temporary H-IB work visas? Those … Continue reading →

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