The California jobs market is as bad as it has been for six decades. But, its plight is better than that of many smaller regions, as measured by both unemployment and housing. One problem…
President Obama is set to unveil his new jobs packages. They are meant to bring down unemployment from above 9%, where it has been since just after the start of the recession. His probable…
It seems as though Ben Bernanke and friends inside the Federal Reserve are not really seeing eye to eye per the minutes of the August 9, 2011 FOMC meeting. There is arguably an identity…
Ben Bernanke is not going to jam a new stimulus or easing package in any form of QE3 by the sound of his highly awaited speech in Jackson Hole today. The indication is that,…
The Congressional Budget Office released new data that cover its forecasts for the economy in the short term and also for the next decade. The report is voluminous, but its one outstanding feature is…
Hurricane season is not just underway; it is in full swing. This poses a new danger to the economy due to the threat to rigs and refineries in the Gulf of Mexico, as well…
A 4% collapse of the markets today pushed the DJIA under 11,000 for the second time in two weeks. The market sentiment now is such that the index may be under that benchmark for…
If you pick through the FOMC statement made by Ben Bernanke and friends today, you will get a picture of just how bad things are in the economy. We transposed the entire statement and…
The markets were anticipating some additional accommodative commentary from the FOMC from its one-day meeting statement today. The market has pushed back any chances of a rate hike out to 2013 before he meeting…
The sell-off, which has driven most stock markets around the world down by 10% in the last week, is likely to get worse. It is a sign that many believe a new recession has…
Newspaper headlines focus on the national unemployment rate. But the effects of joblessness are often very local as towns and cities lose tax revenue and have to care for those out of work. Unemployment…
Markets rose yesterday, to some extent on a belief that the Federal Reserve would try to boost the economy through a third round of quantitative easing. This has become known as QE3, a reprise…
The July 2011 Manufacturing ISM Report was devastating and sent stocks reeling downward. The report was issued today by Bradley J. Holcomb, CPSM, CPSD, chair of the Institute for Supply Management Manufacturing Business Survey…
As the epic conflict over the debt ceiling draws on, President Obama is besieged by denunciations from the right while fielding a blitz of disapproval from the angry left. The Democrats feel betrayed by…
The Commerce Department is delivering some awful news on the second quarter preliminary Gross Domestic Product in the U.S. GDP is coming in at a preliminary second quarter level of a mere 1.3%. Dow…