Tag Archives: finance

Are Consumers In Danger?

The Mortgage Corner Total consumer credit rose $40.8 billion in December, after a $5.4 billion decline in the prior month, the Federal Reserve said last Friday. In percentage terms, it is the biggest gain since June 2022. FREDconsumercredit Will consumers lose … Continue reading

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Was It a Good Employment Report??

Popular Economics Weekly Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 143,000 in January, and the unemployment rate edged down to 4.0 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Job gains occurred in health care, retail trade, and social assistance. … Continue reading

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Q4 Economic Growth Continues

Popular Economics Weekly Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024 (October, November, and December), according to the advance estimate released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the … Continue reading

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Record Inequality = Record Debt

Answering Kennedy’s Call “Never spend money before you have earned it.” Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson may not be the best person to quote on the dangers of debt—His slaves weren’t freed upon his death because his estate owed too many … Continue reading

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