Research Center

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary found that U.S. job openings decreased in July to 3.664 million, down slightly from 3.722 million in June.

Consumers deleveraged their credit card accounts somewhat in August, which is perhaps indicating pervasive nervousness about the direction of the economy.

Employment growth nationwide in August was as anemic as the corn crop in the Midwest, with a net addition of only 96,000 jobs, well below the monthly average thus far this year of 139,000 per month, and not enough in the long run (or even mid-term) to keep up with population growth.

As expected, European Central Bank president Mario Draghi said that the ECB was going to start buying short- and medium-term government debt, especially that of Italy and Spain, the weakest large links in the euro zone.

Last week, investors seemed to pause while they were waiting for Fed chairman Ben Bernanke to speak some magical words. This week, the markets seem to be stuck in neutral waiting for ECB president Mario Draghi to outline his central bank’s plan to “save the euro,” to put it in (overly) dramatic terms.

CoreLogic reported on Tuesday that home prices nationwide, including distressed sales, increased by 3.8 percent in July 2012 compared to July 2011.

Investors waited all week for Ben Bernanke’s annual Jackson Hole, Wyo., end-of-summer speech, and the chairman of the Fed delivered… something.