Aside from the furloughed federal workers, the housing recovery may be the first economic victim of the government shutdown. Over the last two years, housing has gone from being a headwind to a major boon to U.S. economic growth. …
Government
Gas Prices Are About to Hit New Lows
By Halloween — and perhaps much sooner, if the federal shutdown dampens demand significantly — consumers are likely to see the cheapest gas prices so far this year
Foroohar: The Government Is Down, So Why Aren’t Stocks?
Why Wall Street isn’t panicking—yet
Could the U.S. Default? An Impossible Thought Rattles the Market
Forget the government shutdown, the real doomsday for investors is October 17th, the default deadline
Money Talking: JP Morgan’s $11 Billion Would Send the Wrong Message
Is $11 billion a lot to pay for causing some of the mischief that caused the financial crisis? That’s what Justice Department officials in Washington are currently trying to decide. The $11 billion in question is the potential …
Post Office Wants to Hike Stamp Prices
Cites continuing financial woes
Toll Roads Rising: Why There Will Be More Tolls Down the Road
We are living through what one transportation expert calls a “renaissance in tolling.” What that means for American drivers is that they’ll face higher and higher tolls on roads, and more toll roads period.
End of the Road for Speed Traps?
Politicians, driver advocacy groups and even the police are trying to outlaw speed traps, not only because they’re annoying, but because when speed limits are too low, roads become more — not less — dangerous.
Treasury Secretary to Congress: U.S. to Hit Debt Ceiling in October
Come mid-October, the U.S. government will no longer be legally allowed to issue more debt, according to a letter written by Treasury Secretary Jack Lew to Congressional leaders earlier today. That’s when the Treasury will …
Increasingly, the Prototypical ‘Cop Car’ Today Is an SUV
When Ford decided in 2011 to discontinue the boat-like Crown Victoria—long the standard for police cruisers and taxi cabs alike—police departments were forced to go shopping for a new model to take on patrol. And more and more nowadays, police say that the most useful and sensible “car” for them is actually an SUV.
‘Your Mileage May Vary’: Truer Than Ever with Today’s Hybrid Cars
For months, owners of Ford’s C-Max Hybrid have complained that they weren’t getting anywhere near the 47 MPH promised on the car’s window. This week, the automaker said that these customers just may have been onto something.
Amazon’s Hiring Spree Shows Difficulties for American Middle Class
New jobs like those found in Amazon fulfillment centers aren’t an antidote to the weak recovery; they are a symptom of it