One of the more conspicuous ironies of the stock market in recent years is that it tends to go down when the Federal Reserve …
Economy
U.S. Homebuilder Confidence Soars to 7-year High
For the first time in seven years, most U.S. homebuilders are optimistic about home sales, a sign that construction could help drive stronger economic growth in coming months.
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index leaped to 52 this month from 44 in May.
A reading above 50 indicates more …
Red Steel City: What China’s Oldest Steel Factory Says About the Nation’s Future
If you want to understand the history of modern China, a good place to start is the Wuhan Iron & Steel (Group) Corp., with headquarters in Wuhan, a centrally located city of 10 million that is often called the Chicago of China. …
China, the U.S. and a Special Relationship in the Making: 5 Shared Economic Challenges
As President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping settle into conversation in California for the weekend, there’s talk of a new kind of G-2 alliance between the nations, and even a “grand bargain” over issues like trade, …
Uh-Oh: We Already Started Spending Like It’s 2005
The two-faced recovery soldiers on. One day, indicators like the Case-Shiller housing index give us hope that the economic recovery is finally gaining steam, and the next day the ISM Manufacturing Index shows the sector actually …
Japan Market Crash: A Slow Leak in the “Central Bank Bubble”
There’s a truism in investing that the last one into a market is the first one out. And that certainly seems to be the case today, with Japan’s Nikkei index crashing off the back of two things: First, hints from the Federal Reserve that the U.S. economy is improving enough to justify a slow pull-back from the central bank’s …
US Unemployment Aid Applications Fall to 340K
(WASHINGTON) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell by 23,000 last week, further evidence that the job market is slowly returning to health.
Applications for unemployment aid declined to a seasonally adjusted 340,000 in the week ending May 18, the Labor Department said Thursday. That’s down from 363,000 …
Bernanke’s Dilemma: No Good Moves Left
It could be risky for the Fed to continue its easy-money policy – and dangerous to stop.
Republicans Seem to Be Out of Economic Ideas — Here Are Two Suggestions
If you think about thrift as a moral quality, it’s easy to understand why Republicans have gotten things so wrong in terms of macroeconomic policy over the past few years
The Mystery of the Incredible Shrinking Budget Deficit
The Obama Administration is having pretty much the worst week ever, but somewhere amidst the fog of scandal lies some pretty good news about the budget deficit, namely that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is predicting it will be much smaller in 2013 than was projected just a few months ago.
That’s right, the federal budget …
This Housing Upturn Looks Like the Real Thing
The previous upturn in housing prices faltered after a year, but all the signs suggest that the current home price recovery will be sustainable.
Viewpoint: Ben Bernanke, Enabler of America’s Fiscal Dysfunction
By trying to compensate for poor fiscal policies, the Fed is making it easier for the President and Congress to evade their responsibilities.
