Weather: The Economy’s Worst Enemy
The UK has recently been hit by record low temperatures. Most of its large airports are closed. The wintry weather has also moved to other parts of northern Europe. Some people will not get…
Economy
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Newest first · Page 361How Leading Are Leading Economic Indicators?
This morning’s report from the Conference Board showed that the index of leading economic indicators in the United States rose in November by what appears to be the most in eight months and marks…
Early Indications Show Rise In December Unemployment
Unemployment in December may have worsened. The federal government posted joblessness data for November which disappointed most analysts and politicians. These are people who have supported platforms which they believe will help create employment.…
Small Business Optimism Growing Glacially
The nation’s small and independent businesses are reporting gains in the economic environment, but the gains are barely discernible. The National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) reported that its confidence index rose to 93.2,…
Fed’s Best Bet Is To Sit On It Hands
Many of Ben Bernanke’s fellow Fed governors are sullen if not mutinous about the decision to buy in as much as $600 billion in US paper. Some consider it a road to inflation. Others…
Moody’s Warning On US Debt Rating Ignored By Congress
Moody’s says that plans by Congress and the Administration to extend tax cuts may stimulate the US economy for the next year. That will be the end of the positive effects. The budget deficit…
2011: The Year Of Employment Growth
Staffing giant Manpower has released its forecasts for employment conditions for the first quarter of 2011. They are optimistic, and in some cases ebullient. “Data reveals improved hiring expectations from 12 months ago in…
Just Say No To An Unemployment Task Force
In an interview with The Financial Times, American Express Co. (NYSE: AXP) Chief Executive Kenneth Chenault called for the formation of task force among business and political leaders to tackle the unemployment problem. This…
Wal-Mart’s Best Selling Holiday Items (WMT, AMZN, AAPL, EK)
What’s driving holiday sales at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT)? We took a look at some of the best sellers at Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) yesterday, and thought it would be interesting to see…
Americans: Cut Government Spending, Don’t Touch Taxes
Americans believe that the pain of reducing the deficit should be based on government cuts and not changes in the tax code. They do not, however, expect their own taxes to drop as a…
Why Asking For Higher Taxes Is Patriotic
Is it patriotic for a group of 45 millionaires to petition the government to raise their taxes? You betcha. In fact, Patriotic Millionaires for Fiscal Strength are willing to sacrifice their own fiscal well-being…
EC To Hammer Ireland On Its Four-Year Economic Plan
The European Commission plans to give a “thorough assessment” of a four-year budget plan to be released on Tuesday. According to the Irish Times, “The European authorities and the IMF are working on the basis…
Bernanke Defends The Faith Against China
“Globally, both growth and trade are unbalanced. Because a strong expansion in the emerging-market economies will ultimately depend on a recovery in the more advanced economies, this pattern of two-speed growth might very well…
Economists” Group Says 2011 Will Be A Hard Year
Next year will not be much of an improvement over this one if a large group of prominent economists is to be trusted. The Research Seminar in Quantitative Economics at the University of Michigan poll…
House Could Extend Long-Term Unemployment Benefits, Maybe
Two million people are scheduled to lose their long-term unemployment benefits between now and year’s end. Unless friends or relatives elect to be generous, this would essentially make them indigent and likely without shelter.…