Economy Articles
The automobile has long played a pivotal role in the history of our nation’s economy. A former chairman of
General Motors once said, “What is good for GM is good for the country.”
That may have...
A basic part of family planning begins with cash flow management.
In many cases it is this first step that determines the ultimate
financial successes of the household. By understanding cash flow,
the family can make good decisions that will...
Since consumer spending makes up about two-thirds of overall spending,
consumer attitudes are an important part of the investment landscape.
Intuitively, if consumers are confident about the future, they are prone
to continue spending and make long-term financial commitments to
purchase...
Mornings are a magical time. Whether it’s the first rays of light
hitting the wave-tops, or the panoply of morning pinks peeking out
against the waning blue of the night sky, mornings are special.
Each new dawn brings with it the promise of a new...
Despite a consensus opinion among market followers that we are in for
another round of Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes, the current year’s
outlook, and continuing for the next several years, is “all systems
go....
Consumers are spending and business is beginning to ramp up its
investment engines. Anything above a 4% growth rate is exhausting
for business—capacity is exhausted, inventories are exhausted, more
employees will be needed....
It’s urban myth time again—the rhetoric of a presidential campaign is
upon us. TV market analyst Tobin Smith argues that all
presidential candidates should have to pass Econ 101 before they can run
for office, and I agree with him...
The best investment we can make as a community and as a nation is in our
educational system. No less an authority than Fed chief Alan
Greenspan testified before Congress on productivity and the American
economy in 1999, stating that...
I grew up in the central
Washington town of Yakima, which calls itself the “fruit bowl of the
nation.” Like most youngsters there, I worked every summer in the fruit
business, irrigating, gathering and swamping picked fruit from the
orchards...
It’s oil, not gold, that developing nations realize they need to power
up their economies and grow with the rest of the 21st century world.
India is a prime example. Unlike the days of the British Raj, when
Indian princes and their British counterparts found...
I don’t know about you, but I’m paying more for my gasoline and medical
expenses, and it seems like my neighbor’s house is selling for more than
he paid for it a few years ago. What’s more, it’s no secret that
interest rates will soon be going up. Add all that to
increasing...
As the economy continues to show signs
of improvement, members of the financial press who believe that bad news
sells better than good news are sniffing around looking for signs of
inflation. The only ones who cheer inflation are those...
Is there a more anticipated, and perhaps dreaded, non-event than this
Federal Reserve interest rate hike. It reminds me of a child's
dental appointments. The event ends up being less traumatic than...
The cold winter, strife in the Middle East and a contentious energy
policy proposal all make fertile ground for investors looking to profit
from investments in oil companies. However, as investors are
finding out, a barrel of oil in the hand is not like...
If you are short of something economic to worry about, try the American
savings rate. The people of Europe might tell us that our economy is
going down like a lead sled because we Americans are such poor savers.
And, more than a few of the financial press seem to...
Little is more important to many people than their home… and few things are
more important to the economy than homes and household formation.
The average American gets married around age 25-26. The first child
comes along about...
Opponents to of tax cuts cite numerous reasons why tax cuts won’t work.
Too much, benefits the rich over the poor, will lead to deficit
spending, will waste the surplus… all concerns expressed by the
doubters. However, they are ignoring...
Today’s history quiz is: Remember WIN? If your consciousness level
exceeded the decibel level of your favorite rock band of the 70s, you
recognize WIN as President Gerald Ford’s...
Policy makers seem to be endorsing a weakened dollar after years of
strong dollar performance. Some cheered, some winced, some ran for cover
. . . and the rest of us, well, we remain as...
After suffering through the short depression of 1920-21, the American
economy took off on a tear. Then Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon pushed
for lower income tax rates and plowed government surpluses into paying
off the national debt. Government expenditures fell, but...
Recent attention given to the financial troubles of the airlines
underscores the importance of transportation systems to our economy.
Indeed, the so-called “Dow Theory” used by technical analysts to predict
major market movement, uses the Dow Jones Transportation Index as an
integral...
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