Tag Archives: consumer confidence

Jobs Picture Much Better Than Forecast

Popular Economics Weekly The Bureau of Labor Statistics gave markets a shot of good news recently, when it revised the one year March-to-March 2012 jobs totals upward by 32,000 per month. This was huge and showed much better jobs growth … Continue reading

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Consumer Spending Continues to Improve

FINANCIAL FAQs The most recent retail sales show consumers continue to spend, as consumer borrowing is increasing. Add to that credit card delinquencies are at an 18-year low, according to credit reporting company Transunion Corp., and we have a picture … Continue reading

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Consumers Are Doing Fine

Financial FAQs Consumers seem to be doing fine, in spite of their worries about jobs in the latest University of Michigan sentiment survey, the economy and budget deficits (their own more than governments’). June average hourly earnings improved to a … Continue reading

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What Do the Latest Jobs Numbers Mean?

Financial FAQs The May employment report showed the economy slowing, but pundits may be jumping to conclusions. For though the unemployment rate rose to 8.2 percent in May from 8.1 percent the prior month, that was because 642,000 more began … Continue reading

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Why the Surprising Jobs Report?

Financial FAQs Why so much surprise in January’s employment report that added 243,000 payroll jobs and dropped the unemployment rate to 8.3 percent? The U.S. has now added an average of 183,000 jobs a month in the past five months, … Continue reading

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Fair Play Benefits All of Us

The Popular Economics Weekly The idea of fair play may be the key issue in 2012—both with the Presidential campaign and economic growth. How so? Both political parties are jockeying to portray their message as fair—Democrats want to restore the … Continue reading

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2012 Will Be Better

Popular Economics Weekly The elements seem to be in place for a better 2012 economy, despite the euro worries, budget deficits, and 8.6 percent jobless rate. Why?  Banks are lending again, and it was the tight bank credit after bursting … Continue reading

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Consumers Feel Better

Popular Economics Weekly Black Friday, or the day after Thanksgiving, was an eye-opener. Sales jumped 7 percent, a record, and Monday’s cyber-sales followed its lead. How can consumers be spending so much with incomes that aren’t rising as much? One … Continue reading

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Let’s Put Americans Back to Work

Financial FAQs It’s becoming evident that rather than political gridlock, such as the congressional supercommittee’s obsession with spending cuts, we need to worry about economic growth and jobs. And there are some very good ideas on how to do that, … Continue reading

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Our Psychological Depression

Popular Economics Weekly The plunging financial markets are telling us something depression, but it is more about crowd psychology, than actual events. Americans are very depressed about their financial prospects. Duh, says Paul Krugman, given the congressional deadlock. So why … Continue reading

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