Economy

August 12, 2008

Is the Rebate Rebound Losing Steam?

S&P economists say consumers spent the rebates faster than expected in the second quarter.

August 05, 2008

Why Bailouts Stink?and Why We Need Them

They may seem unfair to prudent taxpayers who ducked the housing frenzy, but lessons from the Depression show why federal rescues are necessary.

August 04, 2008

Fed Watch: What the Pros Are Saying

What will Ben Bernanke & Co. do—and say—at the Fed Open Market Committee's Aug. 5 meeting? Wall Street economists speculate.

August 04, 2008

How to Keep Your Job in Hard Times

"Work your tail off," keep a high profile, and find a mentor, veteran job coaches say.

August 01, 2008

U.S. Economy: Gauging the Risks

S&P economists give their best estimate of where the U.S. economy could be heading.

July 31, 2008

Vital Signs: A Sharply Divided Fed

On deck: The Fed meets, plus reports on personal income, nonmanufacturing activity, pending home sales, and productivity.

July 31, 2008

Jobless-Claim Surge Spooks Wall Street

A Labor Dept. report reveals a spike in first-time jobless claims for the week ended July 26.

July 31, 2008

The Beauty of the Bear

With market psychology so negative, it's easier for positive developments—like falling oil prices— to lift investors' spirits.

July 30, 2008

Jobs: The Slump Stretches into Summer

July's employment report should show a nonfarm payroll drop of 60,000, says Action Economics, spurring the Fed to leave interest rates alone.

July 28, 2008

The Economy: Red Ink and Fed-Think

What leading economists and market strategists think about the Bush Administration's budget deficit and the Fed's rally against inflation.

July 25, 2008

Stocks End Higher on Economic News

Stronger-than-expected durable goods orders and new home sales helped attract some buyers, while oil prices fell.

July 24, 2008

Vital Signs: A Weaker Second Half?

On deck: consumer confidence, GDP, employment costs, ISM manufacturing index, car sales, construction spending, and the employment report.

July 17, 2008

Vital Signs: Earnings Winners and Losers

On deck: leading indicators, home prices, home sales, durable goods orders, and a ton of earnings reports.

July 16, 2008

Inflation, Industrial Data: A Mixed Bag

The CPI's 1.1% June climb was higher than expected, but analysts also didn't anticipate the increase in U.S. industrial output.

July 16, 2008

Britain Appears Recession-Bound

Surveys make it plain that the bad news about Britain's economy will only get worse in coming quarters, and that recession may not be far off.

July 15, 2008

Bernanke's Dour Message

The Fed chief says the economy should improve "gradually" over the next two years, but warns of "considerable uncertainty" about that outlook.

July 08, 2008

Oil: The New Reality

As demand continues to increase, how will the U.S., Asia, and Europe cope with sustained high oil prices? S&P takes a look.

July 03, 2008

The ECB Pulls the Rate-Hike Trigger

In a widely expected move, the European Central Bank raises its benchmark interest rate 25 basis points, citing medium-term inflation risks.

July 02, 2008

Vital Signs: Economic Growth Forecasts Rise

On deck: foreign trade, import prices, pending home sales, consumer credit, and testimony from Bernanke and Paulson.

July 01, 2008

Bonds: Smarter Plays for Darker Days

Thinking of Treasuries or other fixed-income plays as the stock market sinks? Here's what to look for.

July 01, 2008

A Chilly June for the U.S. Job Market

Action Economics expects nonfarm payrolls to fall 40,000 on the month, with the unemployment rate slipping back to 5.4%.

June 26, 2008

Vital Signs: Economy, Sink or Stay Afloat?

On deck: The employment report, ISM indexes for manufacturing and nonmanufacturing, construction spending, and car sales.

June 24, 2008

The U.S. Consumer: Darkness in June

The plunge in the consumer confidence index shows deepening worries about inflation, with the report's future expectations index hitting an all-time low.

June 24, 2008

The Fed: What the Pros Are Saying

A roundup of what Wall Street economists and strategists are expecting from the central bank's June 24-25 meeting.

June 19, 2008

Vital Signs: What Will the Fed Say Now?

On deck: Federal Reserve's policy meeting, home prices and sales, durable goods orders, consumer confidence and personal income.