Tag Archives: household incomes

Middle Class Finally Gets A Raise

Popular Economics Weekly A new rule announced by the Obama administration will, effective December 1, double the overtime-pay salary threshold and set it to automatically increase every three years. It’s about time. The salary of employees has been diminishing since … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Keynesian economics, Politics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Higher GDP, Consumer Spending Will Boost 2016 Growth

Financial FAQs Q4 GDP growth was just revised upward to 1.0 percent, from the 0.7 percent first estimate.  This, January’s personal income figures and durable goods orders show consumers and even parts of the manufacturing sector are still expanding, which … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How Extreme is Bernie’s Economic Vision?

Popular Economics Weekly Major progressive economists are protesting Bernie Sanders predictions of robust economic growth and jobs if his policies are enacted. What are his policies? Policies he claims will give Americans what the other developed countries already offer to … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Politics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Higher Minimum Wage Strengthens Labor Unions

Popular Economics Weekly Unions may have been weakened by Republican efforts to abolish labor’s collective bargaining power, (in order to weaken their support of Democratic Party policies), but that may be changing as unions have found a new cause—working to … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Keynesian economics, Politics, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fannie Says Better Growth For Rest of 2015

Popular Economics Weekly “Economic activity was suppressed in the first quarter due largely to the West Coast port disruptions and difficult weather patterns across the Northeast, but the economy is expected to gain momentum throughout the spring and reach previously … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Housing, housing market, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Labor Force Participation Improving

Popular Economics Weekly One lament by Fed Chairperson Janet Yellen and others has been the low labor participation rate of the prime-age workers—those 25 to 54 year-olds that have dropped out of the labor force, or are working part time.  … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

2014 Household Formation Rebounds

Financial FAQs Breaking news. The latest Homeownership & Vacancy Survey, released by the Census Bureau, estimated household formation surged to 1.7 million in 2014 from 400,000 the previous year. That is really big news. Household formation, which is the bottom … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Housing, housing market, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Will 2015 Interest Rates Remain This Low?

The Mortgage Corner Record low interest rates are holding, in spite of the latest stock market selloffs, and may remain low throughout 2015. Why? Oil prices are still below $50/barrel, and overall prices are falling throughout the developed world. The … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Housing, housing market, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Will 2015 Bring?

Popular Economics Weekly We already have an idea of what will happen in 2015. Firstly, job creation should continue to exceed 300,000 payroll jobs per month. Nobelist Paul Krugman is especially optimistic about economic growth, given that we have escaped … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Housing, housing market, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lower Household Debt, Housing, Now Boosting Growth

The Mortgage Corner In another sign that this could be a better growth year, builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes rose two points to 55 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index … Continue reading

Posted in Consumers, Economy, Housing, housing market, Weekly Financial News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment