Labor/Economy
PODCAST: Economy Watch Weekly with Dees Stribling
For the week ending March 25, U.S. GDP was revised upwards, but other than that the news was mostly negative, highlighted by uncertainties on the world stage, such as a debt crisis in Portugal. U.S. housing is in a serious trough, and workers over 55 are working longer, not because they want to, but because they have to.
Economy Watch: CBO Says Older Workers Hanging on to Their Jobs
The only group whose work force participation hasn’t dropped recently are workers over 55; Detroit’s population drop between 2000 and 2010 has been staggering; and Ben Bernanke has agreed to hold quarterly news briefings with reporters.
Economy Watch: New Homes Sales Drop into the Cellar
Single-family home sales slide to the lowest annual rate on record; the Fed vetoes Bank of America’s request to increase its dividend, leaving investors wondering about the bank’s health; and B of A purchases the retail component of Block 37.
Economy Watch: Shiller Survey Predicts Home Prices to Continue Slump
Home prices should bounce back eventually–just not yet. And Warren Buffet gives his take on the resilience of Japanese markets.
Economy Watch: Existing Home Sales Take a Dive
Tight credit contributes to home sales dropping; the Treasury will start selling some of the mortgage-backed securities it acquired after the 2008 crash; and the Chicago Fed’s National Activity Index registers a downtick.
Economy Watch: A Week Later, Crisis in Japan Still Reverberates
The economic impact of the disaster in Japan is still uncertain; Republicans propose a GSE plan very similar to Obama’s; and the yen took a dive, as orchestrated by the Group of 7.
PODCAST: Economy Watch Weekly with Dees Stribling
For the week ending March 18, the tragedy in Japan carried an economic dimension: The Bank of Japan flooded its economy with liquidity; industrial facilities were shut down; and the Group of 7 took action to stabilize the yen. The United States saw decline in housing starts, rise in food and gas prices, and Congress passing another temporary spending bill.
Economy Watch: Some Good Economic News for the Week
The U.S. economy scores some good news in unemployment, while food and gas drive inflation. Meanwhile, the Group of 7 takes unusual action to stabilize the yen.
Economy Watch: Housing Starts in the Basement in February
Housing starts dropped 22.5 percent in February; the Producer Price Index increased again; and the nuclear incident in Japan continues to fog the economic outlook surrounding Japan.