Archive for February 1st, 2008
Posted in February 1st, 2008
Submitted by CARPE DIEM
Payrolls Unexpectedly Decline, Increasing Odds of Recession:
“U.S. employment unexpectedly tumbled last month for the first time in more than four years, fueling worries that the U.S. economy which already limped into 2008 might soften further or even slip into recession in coming months.”
Most reports on today’s employment report were pretty negative, like […]
continue reading.....
Posted in February 1st, 2008
Submitted by Businomics Blog
We do not have abnormally high energy costs; we are simply coming off of a period of abnormally low energy costs. (The thin horizontal lines are for reference, showing the current levels.)
That’s not to say that all is well. Sudden transitions disrupt plans and habits, forcing consumers who had not […]
continue reading.....
Posted in February 1st, 2008
Submitted by A Dash of Insight
There are three things that nearly everyone does wrong in the monthly discussion of the employment report. The first two are comments I made earlier today on RealMoney.
Forgetting that it is a survey. I am mystified by the apparent willingness to draw big conclusions from a single month’s employment […]
continue reading.....
Posted in February 1st, 2008
Submitted by Econbrowser
Alan Gin is an economics professor at the University of San Diego (a separate institution from the University of California at San Diego, where I teach). His San Diego index of leading economic indicators is sending a pretty strong negative signal.
Today’s San Diego Union Tribune carries this story:
With unemployment hovering near 5 percent […]
continue reading.....
Posted in February 1st, 2008
Submitted by CARPE DIEM
WSJ: Exxon Mobil Corp. posted the highest quarterly results in U.S. corporate history on the back of record oil prices. Exxon’s annual after-tax profit of $40.6 billion was a record, exceeding the $39.5 billion it earned in 2006 (see chart above).
Corporate profits receive a lot of media attention, but what receives considerably […]
continue reading.....
Posted in February 1st, 2008
Submitted by Businomics Blog
I Interviewed Mark Perry of the Carpe Diem blog (and, in his spare time, professor at University of Michigan Flint) for the Businomics Audio Magazine. Mark has a very optimistic take on the inflation outlook. Listen here.
Visit 1800blogger to see all of our industry leading blogs.
Rating 3.00 out of 5
[?]
continue reading.....
Posted in February 1st, 2008
Submitted by Businomics Blog
Today’s Wall Street Journal has articles from the McCain and Romney campaigns outlining the candidates’ policies. (Available without subscription: McCain article, Romney article.) I don’t have a dog in this fight (well, I do, but it’s neither McCain nor Romney), but I’m struck by the differences in style between the two […]
continue reading.....
Posted in February 1st, 2008
Submitted by A Dash of Insight
Most individual investors make a major mistake: Looking for a “hot hand.” They spend a lot of time and money chasing last year’s (or last month’s!) performance. Quite frankly, this is also the attitude of many top Fund of Fund managers who earn big salaries. Find the […]
continue reading.....
Posted in February 1st, 2008
Submitted by The Capital Spectator
After 52 straight months of gains, job growth finally gave way in January.
The Labor Department reported that non-farm payrolls dipped by 17,000 last month, the first case of red ink since August 2003. Granted, a loss of 17,000 in a labor pool of nearly 159 million is insignificant. In fact, […]
continue reading.....
Posted in February 1st, 2008
Submitted by The Capital Spectator
Asset allocation has regained its rightful place as the only game in town for strategic-minded investors, as January’s tally of performance among the major asset classes reminds.
The range of returns was a robust 14.1 percentage points last month among the major asset classes. On top: foreign developed market bonds, which posted […]
continue reading.....
Posted in February 1st, 2008
Submitted by CARPE DIEM
Current Odds on Intrade.com
Republican Presidential Nominee in 2008
McCain: 83.5%
Romney: 11.6%
Democratic Presidential Nominee in 2008
Clinton: 60.0%
Obama: 37.1%
To Win 2008 US Presidential Election
Clinton: 35.2%
McCain: 34.6%
Visit 1800blogger to see all of our industry leading blogs.
Rating 3.00 out of 5
[?]
continue reading.....
Posted in February 1st, 2008
Submitted by CARPE DIEM
ESPN: “In these dark economic times, there is still one beacon of light: Super Bowl XLII. America’s corporations and citizens might be paring expenses and bracing for hard times in every other respect; but in metro Phoenix this week, the mantra is: Recession? What recession?
The bull market for Super Bowl tickets […]
continue reading.....
