Category Archives: Macro Economics

Economic Growth Stronger Than Predictions?

Popular Economics Weekly There are signs that economists have underestimated GDP growth this year. The New York Times surveyed economists in a recent Sunday front page article, that said growth could increase to 3 percent from the 2 percent norm … Continue reading

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Social Security Isn’t Dead

Popular Economics Weekly Social Security isn’t dead, or even dying, in spite of the prediction by the Social Security Trustees that it will no longer be able to pay full benefits by 2033. That’s because the Trustees use what are … Continue reading

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A Greater Recession, if Fed QE Ends Too Soon

Financial FAQs The stock and bond markets are sinking because of Fed Chairman Bernanke’s seemingly offhand remark that the Fed could slow down its QE purchases of securities as early as its June FOMC meeting. Now Organization for Economic Development … Continue reading

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Ben Bernanke and the Fragile Recovery

Financial FAQs We know how fragile is the U.S. economic recovery just from the past 48 hours, because both U.S. and Japanese stock prices plummeted, and interest rates jumped on a seemingly offhand remark made by Fed Chairman Bernanke in … Continue reading

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Consumer Sentiment, Leading Indicators Signal Higher Growth

Popular Economics Weekly Both the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment survey and Conference Board’s Index of Leading Indicators rose in May, signaling that employment and growth may be stronger than forecast by most economists. How can that be with 7.5 … Continue reading

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Consumer Debt Falls to Pre-Recession Level

Financial FAQs The total amount of debt held by Americans fell again in the first three months of 2013 and stood at the lowest level since the middle of 2006, the New York Federal Reserve said Tuesday. The level of … Continue reading

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Payrolls Rising with Lower Labor Productivity

Popular Economics Weekly Suddenly it looks like the U.S. economy isn’t stalling. Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 165,000 in April, and the unemployment rate fell slightly to 7.5 percent from 7.6 percent in March, reported the U.S. Bureau of … Continue reading

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Austerinomics, the Anti-Growth Orthodoxy

Financial FAQs The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee has just said it in the press release from its latest committee meeting in an otherwise ‘moderately’ upbeat announcement: “Household spending and business fixed investment advanced, and the housing sector has strengthened … Continue reading

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Deflation and Our Plunging Deficit

Popular Economics Weekly The federal budget deficit is shrinking rapidly, says Goldman Sachs Chief Economist Jan Hatzius. And that is not such a good thing at the moment, since the private sector isn’t spending enough. It means this very weak … Continue reading

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Signs of Jobs Surge in 2013

Popular Economics Weekly There are signs the jobs picture will be much improved in 2013, even thought the March unemployment report was disappointing.  The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported in the just released Job Openings and Labor Turnover … Continue reading

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