Southwest 737 Orders Boost Durable Goods Report
Tuesday January 31, 2012
Manufacturers' orders for durable goods took off in December, to $214.5 billion, according to the latest Census Bureau report. This was 2.3% higher than in November, and an astounding 10% ... Read More
Economy Grew at Fastest Rate in 1.5 Years
Friday January 27, 2012
Last year ended on an optimistic note, as GDP growth inched up to 2.8% in the fourth quarter (October-December). This was the best quarter in a year and a ... Read More
Foreclosures Drop in 2011, Will Rebound in 2012
Tuesday January 24, 2012
In 2011, foreclosures fell to the lowest level since the recession. "Only" 1.9 million homes received foreclosure filings last year, compared to more than 2.7 million each in 2010 and ... Read More
No Inflation Is Good Inflation
Thursday January 19, 2012
The Consumer Price Index report for December was exactly zero -- just like it was in November. This means that price decreases in gas, oil and automobiles offset slight prices ... Read More
December Retail Sales Reports Mixed
Monday January 16, 2012
Holiday shopping sales didn't come in as merry as stores would have liked. The Commerce Department reported that December's retail sales report was $400.6 billion, up barely .1% from November. ... Read More
The Economy in 2012
Thursday January 12, 2012
What's the outlook for the economy in 2012? First, the world will not end in 2012, despite reports to the contrary. Second, most economic reports are encouraging. Third, there ... Read More
Consumer Debt Skyrocketed in November
Monday January 9, 2012
Consumer debt jumped $20.4 billion in November, the highest increase in a decade, according to Bloomberg News. Why the surprising surge? Families took advantage of low interest rates and increasing ... Read More
Economy Added 1.6 Million Jobs in 2011
Friday January 6, 2012
Unemployment fell a bit, to 8.5%, as the year ended with a 200,000 jobs uptick in December. The latest Jobs Report saw gains in retail, manufacturing, transportation/warehousing, health care, ... Read More
The 2011 Debt Hangover
Monday January 2, 2012
The after-effects of too much debt, which drove economic growth in the boom years, is now taking its toll on the economy. 2011 was only marginally better than 2010, and ... Read More