While Congress is on recess and both major political parties are gearing up for their conventions, the Congressional Budget Office on Wednesday issued a stark reminder of the danger posed to the U.S. economy by the set of budget …
Economy
The Six Daunting Financial Problems Facing America
Solutions to the economic problems that the U.S. faces are unpalatable, and there’s a dangerous temptation to avoid dealing with fundamental issues.
Is the Stock Market Really Dying?
Pessimism is often most widespread when a long period of economic troubles is nearing an end. What follows can be a surprisingly strong rebound.
9 Reasons Why This Economy Feels So Bad
The recent slump has been unusually painful, and the feeble recovery has been disappointing. But today’s economy seems even worse than it actually is
Start-Ups Create Jobs, Right? So Let’s Stop Praising Small Businesses — and Fund More
By pretty much any measure, lending to American small businesses is weak. Most recently, small business borrowing dropped 5% from May to June, according to the research firm PayNet, which tracks such lending. And while May’s …
Unemployment Rate Ticks Up to 8.3% — But There’s Good News, Too
The unemployment rate rose to 8.3% in July, but it’s probably the most hopeful jobs report in months.
Will Ben Bernanke Pull the Trigger on More Bond Buying?
The Federal Reserve’s monetary policy brain trust – the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) — meets again today, and after a month of disappointing economic news following June’s meeting, the financial world is eagerly …
The Big New Idea for Saving the Euro
Giving Europe’s bailout fund a banking license would provide massive firepower to help flailing states, but proposal must first overcome deep German skepticism
The Not-So-Mighty Mississippi: How the River’s Low Water Levels Are Impacting the Economy
For those who make their living along the Mississippi River, helping ship many of the country’s most vital commodities, this year’s drought has inevitably raised the specter of 1988. That’s when the river got so low that …
Why a Euro-Zone Crisis Can’t Be Avoided Very Much Longer
Each postponement of financial disaster in the euro zone seems likely to last for a shorter time, and the U.S. won’t be able to escape the fallout indefinitely
Money Talking: Has the Fed Run out of Tools?
Does the Fed have any weapons still left in it’s arsenal to help the economy? How much will the drought drive up food prices this year? For thoughts on this, as well as how much steam the U.S. Manufacturing boom still has left, check out WNYC’s Money Talking with myself and Joe Nocera.
The Real Problem With Offshore Tax Havens
Offshore tax havens are a hot topic these days – due in no small part to the Obama campaign’s attacks on Mitt Romney’s foreign holdings. But beyond that, governments across the globe are hard up for cash, as the global …
