Category Archives: Consumers

US Consumers Are Happy Again

Popular Economics Weekly US consumers are feeling good, with higher confidence and rising wages pushing demand for housing and consumer spending. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index rose a huge 4.4 points to 101.3 in August. It has been hovering … Continue reading →

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The Fed Can’t Really Grow US Economy

Popular Economics Weekly Most eyes are watching Janet Yellen and the Fed’s Jackson Hole conference, where she hinted at a possible raise in short term rates this September. Higher rates are really not needed. Nothing she says in Jackson Hole … Continue reading →

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Home Sales Soar

The Mortgage Corner It’s finally happened. Housing is now leading this 7-year recovery—finally. It’s taken a long time for those wanting to form new households to leave their parents, or school, or even pay down their education loans sufficiently to … Continue reading →

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Much More Housing Needed

The Mortgage Corner There’s an exception to the current low inflation prognostications echoed in my column by the San Francisco Fed Prez John Williams. It’s in housing, which is struggling to meet the surging demand for both new homes and … Continue reading →

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Why A return to Goldilocks Growth?

Financial FAQs We could be back in the ‘goldilocks’ economy that was talked about several years ago. Growth is not too hot or too cold as we near full employment with very little inflation. It means the U.S. economy isn’t … Continue reading →

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The Clinton Growth Presidency

Popular Economics Weekly It’s remarkable. Donald Trump chose Detroit to make his economic speech, where he accused the Clintons of causing Detroit’s employment problems with their trade policies. Is he kidding? The Detroit Big Three automakers didn’t lose jobs because … Continue reading →

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GDP Growth Still Below Average

Popular Economics Weekly There is a reason second quarter Gross Domestic Product growth was so weak—up just 1.2 percent, after 0.9 and 0.8 percent upticks in the last 2 quarters. Pundits attributed it to the lack of capital expenditures, whereas … Continue reading →

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Home Sales, Consumer Confidence Still Rising

The Mortgage Corner Sales of newly built, single-family homes rose 3.5 percent in June from an upwardly revised May reading to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 592,000 units, according to newly released data by the U.S. Department of Housing … Continue reading →

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The Real Economy Trumps Republicans’ Dark Ages

Popular Economics Weekly Marketwatch’s Jeff Bartash is just one economic journalist busting the Donald’s ‘Disstopian’ views (Maureen Dowd’s term, not mine). Our economy is doing incredibly well for most people, including the bottom of the economic ladder—whose incomes are being … Continue reading →

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Higher Housing Sales, Leading Indicators Mean More Growth

Financial FAQs Two more signs of improved economic growth came out today. Boosted by a greater share first-time buyer sales not seen in nearly four years, existing-home sales maintained their upward trajectory in June and increased for the fourth consecutive … Continue reading →

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