ThinkstockThe Reuters/University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index is an index that we maintain is not as accurate nor as fair as most economic reports. After all, it is sold as a subscription and it…
ThinkstockLast year, 1.57 million Americans served prison sentences in state or federal penitentiaries, a slight decrease from nearly 1.6 million in 2011, according to figures released Thursday by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). Despite…
Courtesy EADS/AirbusWhen you see a blowout in durable goods, you usually have to get the reminder that the number is one of the most volatile of all economic releases and can be wildly up…
ThinkstockTo the naked eye, new data from Spain’s National Statistics Institute appears positive. The unemployment rate in the second quarter was 26.3%, down from 27.2% in the first three months of the year. However,…
ThinkstockThe Ifo Business Climate index for Germany in July showed an improvement, bolstered other data about a stronger economy in the European Union’s largest economy by gross domestic product (GDP). Markit released PMI data that also…
National Hurrican CenterFlood, drought, pestilence. Old Testament style disasters cost $85 billion in the first half of 2013, according to the Aon Benfield “Global Natural Disaster Analysis.” According to the report: Global natural disaster losses…
ThinkstockThe best company to work, the worst, and the new “50 Best U.S. Cities for Employment Satisfaction” study from industry leading employee opinion group Glassdoor. The actual list would be better called a review…
ThinkstockTropical Storm Dorian has officially formed out in the open Atlantic Ocean. The 2013 hurricane season has been largely without incident so far, and this storm is actually so far out that the Caribbean…
ThinkstockEurope’s economy has shown unexpected resilience, and it may even be recovering from a deep recession, according to PMI data from Markit that covers July, Since the EU economy is the largest by gross…
ThinkstockChina’s fresh purchasing managers index (PMI) data showed its economy has moved toward a state of stagnation, and manufacturing has moved into reverse. In the meantime, the PMI number for Germany moved sharply in…
ThinkstockIn the second quarter of 2013, 59% of privately held companies surveyed by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP were optimistic about the U.S. economy. That’s up from 50% in the first quarter of this year and 50%…
ThinkstockIs the American Dream dead? The vast majority of Americans born into poverty are unable to make much more than their parents. According to data released earlier this week from a study spanning three…
ThinkstockHunger problems are part of the regular study of organizations like the U.N. and The World Bank. The causes are usually put at the feet of poor farming practices, lack of seed, drought and…
ThinkstockMarket prices in China soared as the Hang Seng rose 2.3% to 21,915, and H shares were up 3.9% to 9,780. Perhaps the markets sense the slow growth will yield actions by the central…
ThinkstockThe Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago has released its Chicago Fed National Activity Index (CFNAI) for the month of June. Economic activity is showing a slight improvement on the national scale, but it is…