Jan 04 What Is Income Inequality Like Within Certain Industries, Such As Banking? Question: I am interested in the question of income inequality or distribution in the United States. Are there any statistics that indicate the degree of inequality by industry in the U.S., like in the banking industry, higher education etc.?… Continue reading
Jan 01 WSJ's David Wessel on the Shape of the Economy in 2010 By Hari Sreenivasan _pap_embed_custom('news01s3803qd57',482,304,""); Wall Street Journal economics editor and Fed watcher David Wessel stopped by the Rundown to talk shop on different parts of the economy and what to expect in 2010. Recorded on New Year's Eve, so references to "next… Continue reading
Jan 01 Reporting on the Growing Ranks of the Unemployed Editor’s note: Yesterday, Paul wrote a reflection for our Rundown news blog about reporting on unemployment this past year. It’s been an odd year for anyone who, like your correspondent, makes a living in and around economics. Odd… Continue reading
Jan 01 Watch Economy May Hold Hopeful Signals for New Year In terms of the economy, it's good riddance to 2009. As for 2010, Ray Suarez speaks with a panel of experts about reasons for hopes and fears in the new year. Continue watching
Dec 31 Year in Review: Reporting on the Growing Ranks of the Unemployed By Paul Solman It's been an odd year for anyone who, like your correspondent, makes a living in and around economics. Odd because, for me at least, there's a version of survivor guilt: The worse the world has gotten, the more interest there's… Continue reading
Dec 31 Topic Archive of Making Sen$e with Paul Solman A list of topics covered by Paul Solman's Making Sen$e page. Continue reading
Dec 30 U.S. Steers $3.8 Billion in Additional Aid Toward GMAC GMAC Financial Services has already received $12.5 billion in government aid. On Wednesday, the auto and home lending giant got another $3.8 billion. The new aid is less than the $5.6 billion that the troubled lender indicated it was… Continue reading
Dec 30 Wasn't WWII Debt Bigger than Obama's Stimulus Package? Question: According to many, especially conservative economists who wish to denigrate FDR’s efforts to end the Great Depression, the spending for WWII was ultimately responsible for our recovery… Continue reading
Dec 29 States Plow Through Snow-Removal Budgets While it's been barely more than a week since the official start of winter, cash-strapped state and local governments have already plowed through all or most of their available snow-removal budgets, reports the Wall Street Journal. In Maryland,… Continue reading
Dec 29 If Banks Aren't Lending, How Did They Make Recent Profits? Question: I’ve always understood that banks made their money by lending. If they are not lending, what accounts for their recent profits? Paul Solman: They’re lending all right. It’s just that they’re not lending much to individuals or businesses. They… Continue reading