Attitude matters. U.S. consumers are seeing fewer dark clouds on the economic. Surprising things can often act as a spur to hope. Poor people may remain trapped in poverty because even the largest investments they are able to make, whether eating a few more calories or working a bit harder on their minuscule businesses, areContinue reading “Reality is the economy recovers regardless of your perception”
Category Archives: Americans’ Confidence in the Economy
The lean times are ending
Over half of the 50 states are forecast to end the current fiscal year with more money than expected, thanks to fatter tax collections as the economy recovers. Several price indices point to stabilising house values, which should buoy up property-tax revenues and education budgets. It may take time, though. State government payrolls rose byContinue reading “The lean times are ending”
Economy is scraping the bottom- hang in there
SCRAPING THE BOTTOM The slow start for the economy in 2012 — an annual rate of 2.2 percent in the first three months of the year — is evidence that the recovery is too weak to push joblessness much lower than its current 8.2 percent, and too fragile to withstand the kinds of budget cutsContinue reading “Economy is scraping the bottom- hang in there”
Americans continue to hope for a real recovery
During the first three years after the 1981-82 recession, the economy grew above 3% in 11 of 12 quarters and at greater than 5% in 7 of 12. Eleven quarters into this recovery, the economy has managed 3% or better only four times and has yet to reach 4%. But America’s underlying fundamentals look increasinglyContinue reading “Americans continue to hope for a real recovery”
Consumer Confidence Wobbles, But Still Moves Forward
Consumer confidence fell for the second-straight month in April, according to The Conference Board, as people grew more pessimistic about economic expectations. The index fell to 69.2 from a downwardly revised 69.5 for March. An initial report pegged last month’s reading at 70.2 after the index reached a year-high in February. The reading for AprilContinue reading “Consumer Confidence Wobbles, But Still Moves Forward”
Is the jobs recovery finally for real?
It certainly feels that way. Before getting into the caveats, let’s look at January’s solid employment report. Non-farm employment jumped 243,000, or 0.2%, from December, the best in nine months. The unemployment rate fell to 8.3%, a three-year low, from 8.5%. Now, for the caveats. In both 2010 and 2011, a promising early-year upturn inContinue reading “Is the jobs recovery finally for real?”