by Rick Newman, MONEY Maybe we need a new definition of “recession.” It will come as no relief to the 15 million Americans who are unemployed, but a committee of august economists has finally declared that the recession is officially over. In fact, it ended more than a year ago. No, you didn’t miss the [...]
Housing Story That’s Going To Get Even Worse In 2011
This is a key story: there were a record low number of housing completions in 2010, breaking the record set in 2009. The total for single family, multi-family and manufactured homes (estimated) was 703 thousand units in 2010. That is about 17% below the 844 units completed in 2009 (including manufactured homes). The previous record [...]
Good Employment News
Twice a month Gallup polls approximately 30,000 adults on unemployment. This survey is Not Seasonally Adjusted (NSA). Before I get to the data, this is a reminder that the employment series really needs a seasonal adjustment. Every year, even in good employment years, the U.S. economy loses 2.5 to 3.0 million payroll jobs (net) in [...]
Obama Polls Rising
The president’s approval rating is over 50 percent, the highest it’s been since 2009. Will it last?
Health care debate now Shifts to State Overhauls
WASHINGTON – True or false: States suing to overturn core requirements of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul are refusing to carry out the law. If you said “true,” you’d be wrong. Republican state legislators and governors are working on how to deliver coverage to more than 30 million people now uninsured, as the law [...]
President Obama to Emphasize Jobs in State of the Union
Image via Wikipedia WASHINGTON – Under pressure to energize the economy, President Barack Obama said Saturday he will use his State of the Unionaddress to outline an agenda to create jobs now and boost American competitiveness over the long term. Heading quickly into re-election mode, Obama is expected to use Tuesday’s prime-time speech to promote spending on innovation while [...]
Household ATM Equity Line a Myth
The economic rebound has confounded the experts in numerous ways, but perhaps nothing has been more shocking than the rebound in consumer spending back to all time highs. First of all, unemployment remains elevated, and second of all, home values (and thus homeowner equity) has continued to collapse. And remember, the dominant myth is that [...]
No Money Down Created Housing Bubble
From “The House That Uncle Sam Built: The Untold Story of the Great Recession,” by Pete Boetke and Steve Horwitz: “The Fed’s low interest rates, combined with Fannie and Freddie’s government-sponsored purchases of mortgages, made it highly and artificially profitable to lend to anyone and everyone. The banks and mortgage companies didn’t need to be [...]
Demographic Time Bombs: U.S. Is Better Off Than You Think – Seeking Alpha
Demographic factors can significantly affect economic activity. The following graph from an article by Gregory White and Kamelia Angelova at Business Insider – Clusterstock shows how Japan’s aging population has been a detractor from economic growth will be an increasing burden on GDP in coming years. Some have lamented the burden of retiring baby boomers [...]
Top 10 Stocks Most Owned by ‘Super Investors’
Dataroma.com tracks investment activities of successful value-oriented “super investors” such as Warren Buffett and Bruce Berkowitz. This article examines the top 10 most owned stocks by the 48 investors tracked by Dataroma. Microsoft (MSFT) is the most owned stock currently (21 out of 48 investors holding it). Dell is the 10th most owned stock (12 [...]
-
American Equity Lifetime Income Rate Changes — Effective June 3rd, 2013
-
10 Keys To Becoming A Successful Financial Advisor
-
Great American Revised Fixed-Indexed Annuity Rates
-
Genworth Update: NAIC Suitability Model Regulation Requirements of Producers
-
-
Great American Revised Fixed-Indexed Annuity Rates
-
10 Keys To Becoming A Successful Financial Advisor
-
American Equity Lifetime Income Rate Changes — Effective June 3rd, 2013