The Facts Say Otherwise
Key gauges of manufacturing activity in three major economies -- the eurozone, China, and Japan -- have, for six months or more, been below the levels that prevailed at the start of the 2007 recession. While the U.S. counterpart remains...
The Big Shift
Here are two reports that underscore the long-term geopolitical shift that is currently underway (which happens to be a key theme of my third book, When Giants Fall): "Poll: Voters Worried US Falling Behind in Science" (The Hill) More than...
A Different Light
In "7 Reasons Why The Jobs Recovery Is Real This Time," the Associated Press details what I would consider to be the positive spin on a variety of economic and political developments [highlighted in red italic for clarity]. In the...
Cliff Dive
From Michael Krieger: Chart of the Federal Surplus/Deficit. A picture is worth a thousand words. USA! USA! Have a great weekend. Baaaah. (Image: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis)
Like You and Me
Well, well, well, it appears that the rich, to paraphrase F. Scott Fitzgerald, are not all that different from you and me [italics mine]: "Most Wealthy Americans Think US Is Still in Recession" (CNBC) Wealthier Americans aren't very optimistic about...
Bigger and Badder?
As the chart shows, consumer sentiment has loosely tracked monthly gains in nonfarm payroll over the past four decades, with two exceptions: the last two years, and the period marked by the end of the 1980 recession and the beginning...
Not So Encouraging
According to the conventional wisdom, data released this morning should be taken as an encouraging sign for the labor market. "US Worker Productivity Growth Slowed in Q4, Which Could Signal More Hiring in Coming Months" (Associated Press) U.S. companies will...
Back on Track
Are things returning to "normal"? Well, the poor are getting poorer -- "Extreme Poverty In The U.S. Has Doubled In The Last 15 Years" (Think Progress) According to the latest Census Bureau data, nearly 50 percent of Americans are either...
Hollywood Economy
(Image: source) Since the role model for today's "recovery" seems to be a Hollywood film set, perhaps those who are having a hard time all those jobs that are allegedly "out there" should adopt a different strategy (via pleated-jeans): Then...
‘When the Real Margin Call Arrives, the Carnage Will Be Unimaginable’
Wow. Talk about calling it like it is. The Associated Press is out with a report (via Business Insider), "David Stockman: You'd Be A Fool To Hold Anything But Cash Now," featuring a no-holds-barred interview with an individual (and former...
Four Charts…
...that highlight a decidedly different perspective about where things stand in today's America than the ones Wall Street is so fixated on: Those who are seen as our nation's future are having the hardest time finding jobs "Starting Off on...
