ThinkstockDrought is so severe in some parts of California that scientists have observed that conditions may not significantly improve for decades. The problem’s worst effects reach across the state’s inland valleys, which are agriculture…
ThinkstockThere are several states in which more than 20% of the population cannot always afford to feed themselves. Most of these also have among the highest poverty rates. A large number of the states…
squirrel83, via Wikimedia CommonsThe Bureau of Labor Statistics has released its data on unemployment by city for January. In general, the news was very good. Jobless rates were lower in 367 of the 372…
States, often burdened by budget deficits that grew during the recession, are not getting tax receipts from some of America's largest companies. Among them are Boeing and Merck, which did not pay taxes for…
ThinkstockHouston topped the 50 largest American cities in terms of job creation over the two years that ended December 31, 2013. The San Diego metropolitan statistical area (MSA) finished last. According to a new Gallup…
ThinkstockIn a headline that hardly sounds like good news, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced today that the unemployment rate for veterans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces at any…
ThinkstockA Thursday economic report from The Conference Board was its index of leading indicators for the month of February. We always warn readers that leading indicators may not be as leading as investors would…
ThinkstockSeveral hundred thousand Americans might do well to contact the IRS. The agency claims that nearly one million people who did not file tax returns in 2010 could be due money. All these people…
Janet Yellen made a bit of a surprise on Wednesday in her FOMC statement and then again in her press conference. The 6.5% unemployment rate threshold has been lightly removed, in part due to…
courtesy of the Federal ReserveThe Federal Reserve under Janet Yellen may not be that much different than the Fed under Ben Bernanke – not yet at any rate. In her first formal two-day FOMC…
ThinkstockThe U.S. Internal Revenue Service announced Wednesday that it owes about 919,000 U.S. taxpayers nearly $760 million in refunds for the 2010 tax year. To get what they are owed, all these taxpayers need…
ThinkstockThe Business Roundtable has released its 2014 CEO Economic Outlook Survey for the first quarter. While there is an overwhelming number of CEOs looking for sales growth, it is a minority of CEOs who…
ThinkstockThe Labor Department has released its latest report on retail inflation via the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Prices in February were up 0.1% on the headline CPI. Core inflation, excluding food and energy, rose…
ThinkstockAmerica may have recovered handily from the Great Recession, and the bull market may now be five years old, but in no way should America think that it is remotely immune or even insulated…
ThinkstockThe Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee has another meeting this week regarding U.S. interest rate policy. While no new rate announcement is expected to come, what is expected is the announcement of more…