01.28.09
More News
Several articles dealing with economic issues we are focusing on in class have appeared on major national news sites.
The first of these articles is a multimedia presentation from the New York Times. The article provides a historical look at how the U.S. government has dealt with recessions over the past 50 years. In addition to providing a timeline, audio from three prominent economists provide insight as to how the government looked to turn the economy around.
In additon, The Consumer Confidence Index was released this week and the numbers were not good. Statistics released this week indicate that consumer confidence is at an all-time low (since the government began reporting CCI in the mid-1960s).
And, as if the news wasn’t bad enough, Unemployment is edging up in all states. Here’s an interesting chart/map from the Wall Street Journal that shown the current trend in unemployment nationally. Closer to home, the Baltimore Sun reports that Maryland’s Unemployment Rate hit 5.8%, a 15 year high.
01.25.09
Bad News Ahead
Here’s an article from CNN that highlights some of the economic indicators we’ve been discussing in class. To Summarize:
Investors will also digest reports on housing, consumer confidence and leading economic indicators early in the week. The end of the week brings the fourth-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) report. It’s expected to have fallen by an annual rate of 5.2%, it biggest plunge in 26 years.
03.25.08
Consumer Confidenvce at 5 Year Low
Here’s an article from CNN that reports Consumer Confidence is at a five year low. If you recall, we discussed consumer confidence earlier in the year when we studied Economic Indicators. How is it that consumer confidence drives economic behavior?
