Category Archives: Economy

A Half-Full Jobs Report

Financial FAQs Nonfarm payrolls rose a lower-than-expected 151,000 in August with revisions to July and June at a net minus 1,000, reported the Bureau of Labor Statistics. I would call this a half-full employment report in an economy that is … Continue reading

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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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No More Inflation?

Popular Economics Weekly San Francisco Fed President John Williams has said something that most Central Bankers won’t say. He believes the current low inflation, low growth economy could continue indefinitely, if something isn’t done differently. He writes in the FRBSF’s … 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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255,000 Jobs Added, Economy Still Growing

Financial FAQs Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 255,000 in July, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.9 percent, said the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics today. This confirms earlier reports from the manufacturing and service sectors that economic … 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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