Category Archives: COVID-19

Fewer Jobs Available

Financial FAQs “It’s gotten harder for the unemployed to find work: Job openings in the U.S. fell at the end of 2024 to the second lowest level since the end of the pandemic.” MarketWatch FREDjobopenings Job vacancies reported by the … Continue reading

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

The Tariff Wars–Part II

Financial FAQs “Trump has called “tariff” the fourth most beautiful word in the dictionary behind “God”, “love” and “religion.” CNN FREDdebt/GDP On Saturday, President Trump, just 11 days into his second term, said he will impose a 25 percent tariff … Continue reading

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

Why Inflation Still a Problem?

Financial FAQs The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, Personal Consumption Expenditures Index (PCE) isn’t declining because consumers continue to spend more than they earn. Why? BEA.gov Such spending gave a boost to retail sales and so made holiday shoppers happier. But … Continue reading

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

The Housing Recovery–Part II

The Mortgage Corner Existing-home sales rose 2.2% in December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.24 million, the strongest pace since February 2024 (4.38 million). FREDexistinghomesales The huge jump in existing-home sales on still very high mortgage rates illustrates … Continue reading

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

No Art of the Deal – Part II

Answering Kennedy’s Call “It’s 100 days into the Trump Presidency and looking more and more like President Trump is no more effective at running the country than his business interests. His book, The Art of the Deal was meant to tout his … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, COVID-19, Politics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Retail Sales Boost Q4 Growth

Financial FAQs “Advance estimates of U.S. retail and food services sales for December 2024, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $729.2 billion, an increase of 0.4 percent (±0.5 percent)* from the … Continue reading

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

Why the Tariffs Debate?

Popular Economics Weekly “For far too long, we have relied on taxing our Great People using the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Through soft and pathetically weak Trade agreements, the American Economy has delivered growth and prosperity to the World, while … Continue reading

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

Americans Still Fully Employed!

Popular Economics Weekly Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 256,000 in December, and the unemployment rate changed little at 4.1 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment trended up in health care, government, and social assistance. Retail … Continue reading

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

Greater Threats = Slower Growth

Answering Kennedy’s Call “Fostering a culture of fear and ignorance is not the way to run a political party, or country, if it would ever come to that.” Popular Economics Reuters/January 6 I said in 2014 when writing in Huffington … Continue reading

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

Bidenomics Works–Part II

Financial FAQs A large fraction of voters do suffer from economic illiteracy. Indeed, it is fair to say that an ample majority do not understand the basics of how markets work. They are especially confused about labor and international markets. … Continue reading

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