Podcasts

The week ending Feb. 25 was a tale of ups and downs. On the rise were job creation, income levels and oil prices. On the descent were unemployment and construction, with world events keeping things interesting by mixing in a general sense of unknown.

For the week ending Feb. 25, as Libya blows up, so do oil prices; the federal government may be on the verge of a shutdown; and just when you thought the housing market couldn’t get any worse, turns out it might have been worse all along. Despite all this, consumer confidence shows resilience.

For the week ending Feb. 18, there was plenty happening, including a battle in Washington over the federal budget, opposing views on inflation, and the administration formally suggesting a slow process of winding down Fannie and Freddie.

For the week ending Feb. 11, jobless claims were down, the industrial sector was up, and a lot of people kicked around ideas about what to do with big issues like the GSEs and the federal budget.

For the week ending Jan. 28, the economy is chugging along in all areas, except one. Jobs. Employment continues to lag behind, with the public sector still taking it on the chin.

For the week ending Jan. 28, GDP and home sales showed some uptick. But that good news gets quickly swallowed by the enormous shadow of the federal deficit.

For the week ending Jan. 21, homebuilder confidence and single-family starts stayed down, even though existing home sales are creeping upward.

For the week ending Jan. 14, the news was a mixed bag, with economic indicators gradually climbing while foreclosures continue to break through the ceiling.

The economy, and employment, are getting better, but everyone is impatient for it to happen faster–which it refuses to do. The December employment numbers tell the story.