Category Archives: Macro Economics

What is Yellen’s Real Unemployment Rate?

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen spoke with IMF President Christine Lagard at an epoch-making conference yesterday. It was epoch-making (with luminaries such a ex-Fed Chair Paul Volcker in attendance), because Ms. Yellen told us which unemployment rate she and … Continue reading →

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Austerity Must End With Q1 GDP Plunge

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly The final Q1 2014 GDP growth estimate of minus (-2.9) percent, down from the second (-1) percent drop, was a shock for several reasons. Firstly, it means our domestic economy is still sputtering, five years after the … Continue reading →

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Will Housing Now Lead the Recovery?

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

The Mortgage Corner There is still hope that housing may help this economic recovery, as it has in past recoveries. But that is only if Fed Chairman Janet Yellen succeeds in keeping interest rates—mortgage rates in particular—at their current low, … Continue reading →

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When is Higher Inflation Good?

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs The short answer is that higher inflation comes from higher growth rates, and so when an economy expands faster, then prices should also rise faster. Otherwise companies’ profits don’t rise and they won’t want to expand their businesses … Continue reading →

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Why Have a Higher Minimum Wage?

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly The International Monetary Fund just came out with a depressing prognosis for US economic growth—2 percent this year, and maybe 3 percent next year? Why? A too bad winter, slowdown in the housing market, and stagnant wages. … Continue reading →

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T Piketty and Capital Beyond the 21st Century

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the 21st Century is about more than proving that excessive income and wealth inequality has been the norm over centuries by so-called free market capitalism, or its social democratic versions in Europe. It’s … Continue reading →

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Capital in 21st Century

Posted on April 23, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly All the hullabaloo re Thomas Piketty’s master economic work, Capital in the 21st Century has overlooked its real importance. Economics is finally becoming a science, rather than just social science based more on theories and formulas (such … Continue reading →

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Opposing the Bully Mentality—Part II

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs How does one stop the bullies? Put simply, find a way to stand up to them. Economic bullies behave no differently than individuals when confronted by a person or organization willing to oppose them. But how are the … Continue reading →

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Jobs Recession Finally Over?

Posted on April 5, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Financial FAQs Is the jobs recession finally over? It’s taken this long to bring employment back to pre-Great Recession levels. Overall employment is still slightly below the pre-recession peak (437 thousand fewer total jobs).  But private employment is now above … Continue reading →

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The Ryan Budget Myth and Obamacare

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Popular Economics Weekly

Popular Economics Weekly Representative Paul Ryan has come up with his latest Republican budget proposal, and it changes nothing. It neither promotes economic growth, nor reduces the budget deficit, as with past Republican budget proposals. That’s because its real target … Continue reading →

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