Labor/Economy
Economy Watch: Existing Home Sales Drop in August
The National Association of Realtors reported that U.S. existing home sales decreased 1.8 percent to an annualized rate of 5.05 million units in August, compared with 5.14 million in July.
Economy Watch: Unemployment Ticks Up in Nearly Half the States
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 24 states and the District of Columbia suffered unemployment rate increases in August compared with July, while 15 states had decreases, and 11 experienced no change.
Economy Watch: Housing Starts Take a Dip in August
The Census Bureau reported that private housing starts in August came in at an annualized rate of 956,000 units, a drop of 14.4 percent compared with July, when the rate was more than 1.11 million units.
Economy Watch: QE3 Almost Gone, But Interest Still on Hold
The Federal Reserve’s unprecedented stimulus of the economy, sometimes known by the shorthand QE3, seems to be on its last legs.
‘Economy Watch’ Podcast with Dees Stribling: Retailers Had a Good Month
Retailers had a good month in August.
Economy Watch: Poverty Rate Edges Down, Number of People in Poverty the Same
The U.S. official poverty rate in 2013 was 14.5 percent, down from 15 percent in 2012, the Census Bureau reported.
Economy Watch: OECD Forecasts Continued Tepid Growth
The Paris-based Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development released its latest forecasts for economic growth in various parts of the world, revising them downward in some cases, especially for the euro zone.
Economy Watch: Retail Sales Grow in August
Americans had an itch to buy more in August, according to the Census Bureau.
Economy Watch: Demand Growth for Oil Slows Worldwide
In its Oil Market Report for September, the International Energy Agency has lowered its forecast for global oil demand for the third month running.