Jan 09 Watch Report Faults Lax Oversight of Treasury’s Bailout Funds A congressional panel has criticized the Treasury Department's oversight of the $700 billion financial industry bailout. The panel's report says the rescue funds have failed to alleviate the foreclosure crisis and the department has not kept a thorough record of… Continue watching
Jan 09 Watch December Job Losses Compound Economic Woes Unemployment rose to 7.2 percent in December, the highest since 1993, according to a new report from the Labor Department. Employers cut 524,000 jobs, and some economy-watchers fear more cuts are still to come. Ray Suarez reports. Continue watching
Jan 09 Unemployment Rate Hits Highest Point in 16 Years By Admin, PBS News Hour A day after President-elect Barack Obama warned that the recession could "linger for years" unless Congress pumps money into the economy, a government report released Friday underscored the toll the downturn is having on workers and companies. Continue reading
Jan 07 Watch Unrest Spreads in China as Economy Worsens Chinese leaders are facing new pressures amid fears that a national social crisis is looming, brought on by millions of job losses and a surge in public protests. Nick Paton Walsh of Independent Television News reports. Continue watching
Jan 07 Watch Federal Budget Deficit Projected to Skyrocket in 2009 New Congressional Budget Office figures released Wednesday predict the federal budget deficit will hit $1.2 trillion in 2009. Analysts mull what the numbers mean. Continue watching
Jan 07 Deficit Projected to Soar to $1.2 Trillion By Admin, PBS News Hour The federal budget deficit will hit an unprecedented $1.2 trillion for the 2009 budget year, new Congressional Budget Office figures show. Continue reading
Jan 07 Why Has the Price of Oil Decreased So Significantly? Question/Comment: Why has the price of gas decreased so significantly? This seems way more than an incremental adjustment to supply and demand. Is there something non-linear going on? Paul Solman: Brace yourself for a very long answer. The price of… Continue reading
Jan 05 Watch Congress Asks Regulators for Answers in Madoff Scandal Congress questioned federal regulators during a hearing Monday about why so many warning signs surrounding the business dealings of Wall Street investor Bernard Madoff went unnoticed. New York Times reporter Alex Berenson details the latest developments. Continue watching
Jan 05 Auto Sales Plunge in December By PBS News Hour December marked another dismal month for automakers with new figures showing overall sales declines of more than 30 percent as the U.S. auto industry continues to struggle amid the economic downturn. Continue reading
Jan 05 What is the Economic Impact of Military Spending? Question/Comment: I would like to know the impact of military spending on our economy. It seems like it’s a pretty hefty percentage of the annual budget, almost equal to that spent on Social Security; more than is spent on Medicare. Continue reading