Picture a sprawling 30,000-square-foot Best Buy store—only instead of electronic gadgets and games, every aisle inside the big-box center is devoted to firearms, bullets, and “tactical gear.” This is the hot retail concept spreading throughout the Midwest.
Economy & Policy
US Home Prices Up 9.3 Pct, Most in Nearly 7 Years
WASHINGTON — U.S. home prices rose 9.3 percent in February compared with a year ago, the most in nearly seven years. The gains were driven by a growing number of buyers who bid on a limited supply of homes.
The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index increased from an 8.1 percent year-over-year gain in January. …
Fed Likely to Stick With Low-Rate Stance This Week
WASHINGTON — A combination of scant inflation and still-modest U.S. economic growth will likely lead the Federal Reserve this week to maintain its drive to keep borrowing costs at record lows indefinitely.
The Fed has said it plans to keep its key short-term interest rate near zero at least until the unemployment rate dips below …
Forget Lowballing: Bidding Wars Return in Hot Housing Markets
Are buyers being manipulated into overbidding for the relatively few attractive homes on the market?
Is the Price of Gold Signaling an Economic Slowdown?
Gold and other commodities seem to be signaling that the U.S. economy is sluggish and will get weaker still.
Stop Bemoaning the New GDP Numbers: It’s Good News
Economic pundits are bemoaning the fact that first quarter GDP numbers released last Friday were weaker than expected – growth was 2.5% rather than the 3% that everyone had been expecting.
I actually took it as positive …
10 Steps to Spring Clean Your Finances
When it comes to spring cleaning, you probably haul the junk out of your garage, scrub your fridge, and wash the rugs and drapes. But don’t forget about your personal finances. Just after tax season is the perfect time to perform …
The Real Reason to Worry About China
The world is worried about China, but not for the right reasons. Global financial markets were roiled after the world’s second largest economy notched only a 7.7% boost to GDP in the first quarter — a drool-worthy performance …
Money Talking: Should Firms Have to Disclose Political Donations?
Joe Nocera (NYT) and Rana Foroohar (Time) join Charlie Herman (WNYC) on Money Talking discuss the if the SEC will require publicly traded companies to disclose politically spending. Good for business or politics as usual?
Safe Bet? Central Banks Suddenly Start Buying Stocks
Even central banks are buying stocks, chasing better returns in this low-rate environment. Should you join them?
U.S. Economy Accelerates at 2.5% Rate in 1st Quarter
(WASHINGTON) — U.S. economic growth accelerated to an annual rate of 2.5 percent from January through March, buoyed by the strongest consumer spending in more than two years. Government spending fell, though, and tax increases …
A Nation of Renters: Should We Be Worried That Fewer Americans Own Homes?
Big Wall Street banks and consumer-advocacy groups like the Center for Responsible Lending don’t agree on much. But recently, these strange bedfellows have been brought together by their opposition to new rules governing …
