Stock markets may have soared after central banks around the world, led by the Fed, got together in a rare coordinated action to provide more dollars to Europe’s strained financial sector. But we also got an indication of just …
Why The Latest Euro Bank Bailout is Bullish for America
The bottom-line truth about today’s Federal Reserve-led coordinated effort by six of the developed worlds’ central banks to ease the liquidity problems of European financial institutions is this: It doesn’t change anything. …
In the Market for a Used Car? Then Be Ready to Act Soon
After used-vehicle prices reached a 16-year high last June, values for used cars have dropped by an average of 10%. Prices for fuel-efficient used automobiles, which were especially in demand while gas prices soared, have dipped …
Retirement Planning Mistakes: Fear or Ignorance?
A new survey drives home some critical points about the recession’s impact on retirement planning. We fear the stock market even in the long run and probably should be taught more about money in school.
The Hot-Selling Holiday Item Everyone Already Owns: TV
Electronics are on the top of the shopping list for many consumers this holiday season: Nearly 4 in 10 shoppers purchased electronics over Black Friday weekend, contributing to the whopping $52 billion total spent at stores. …
Retailers Want a Rematch in Swipe-Fee Battle: Will Consumers Lose?
The financial industry was stunned last summer when the Federal Reserve handed down a rule that effectively halved the amount banks could charge stores every time one of their customers swiped a debit card at a checkout terminal. …
Would You Watch an Ad to Avoid an ATM Fee?
From e-mail to broadcast TV programming, search engines to roadside billboards, consumers are accustomed to being inundated with advertisements at every turn. Typically, the tradeoff for being subjected to ads is that consumers …
What Darwin Can Tell Us About Black Friday
The seeming economic success of this year’s Black Friday-But-Really-Thursday, judged by many as an economic win-win for business and consumers, got us wondering what we as a country have gained in terms of what psychologists …
American Airlines: Bankrupt Companies Are Healthier Than They Used to Be
Having $4 billion in the bank is not your typical definition of broke. That’s why American Airlines’ parent company AMR surprised a bunch of people — particularly, one presumes, the five Wall Street analysts who still rated …
Black Friday: $52 Billion for Stores, Big Credit Card Bills for Us
Shoppers blew away even the most optimistic projections of retail analysts by dropping just over $52 billion on Black Friday weekend, according to the National Retail Federation. It’s a bonanza for merchants, but it comes with a dark flip side: Numerous surveys indicate that Americans are using their credit cards to fuel this buying binge.
Why the American Airlines Bankruptcy Won’t Affect Your Holiday Travel
Just weeks before one of the busiest travel times of the year, American Airlines’ parent company filed for bankruptcy protection. But don’t worry: Your plans to head home for the holidays aren’t likely to be interrupted.
Housing Slump Continues — But the Momentum is Slowing
September housing prices, as measured by the S&P/Case-Shiller Housing Index, are out, and they’re down 3.6% year-over-year. This continues a trend that we’ve seen since the summer: Housing prices continue to fall, but more slowly …
