Jan 26 When Do You Stop Putting Money Down on a House and Start Putting it in a Bank Account? Question/Comment: Dave and I want to know: Pretend you want a house that costs $500,000. You have $500,000 saved up. In this market, when you can get a five percent interest rate (at least) on your 30-year mortgage, is it… Continue reading
Jan 26 Drug Giant Pfizer to Acquire Wyeth in $68 Billion Deal By PBS News Hour The world's largest drug maker, Pfizer Inc., announced Monday it is acquiring rival company Wyeth for about $68 billion, in the largest pharmaceutical sector takeover since 2000. Continue reading
Jan 25 Why Are People Now Encouraged To Buy? By Business Desk Question/Comment: Is this economic downturn really related to so many U.S. citizens buying themselves into big debt with credit cards? Why then, are people now encouraged to buy? Paul Solman: Citizens, corporations and government… Continue reading
Jan 23 Watch Fallout Continues Over Banking Sector Woes, Forced Mergers In the midst of September's Wall Street meltdown, Bank of America agreed to buy the troubled Merrill Lynch -- a buyout that has proved troublesome. Analysts assess what may come next for the struggling industry. Continue watching
Jan 23 Obama Targets February to Pass Stimulus Plan By Admin, PBS News Hour President Barack Obama said Friday that he expected Congress to approve a proposed $825 million economic stimulus package by mid-February, setting up the first big test of his promise to set a new tone of bipartisanship in Washington. Continue reading
Jan 22 Watch Tech Industry Faces Struggles Amid Economic Slump Microsoft announced a drop in earnings and unprecedented job cuts, and the Intel Corporation revealed plans to shutter five plants and lay off thousands of workers Thursday. Lee Hochberg examines how the technology industry is weathering the economic crisis. Continue watching
Jan 22 Microsoft Cuts 5,000 Jobs As New Unemployment Claims Rise By Admin, PBS News Hour In another sign of how bad the economy is getting for even the biggest companies, Microsoft Corp. announced Thursday that it is cutting 5,000 jobs over the next 18 months. Continue reading
Jan 22 Is There An "Economic Event" That Will Change the Economics Profession? Question/Comment: Dear Mr. Solman, Is there an “economic event”, or re-discovery of economic history that can impact the incredible ideological stranglehold on the economics “profession?” In my opinion we have sacrificed rigorous econometrics on the altar of existence theorems, Diophantine… Continue reading
Jan 21 Watch Banking Sector, Bailout Reform May Top Obama Economic Agenda Treasury nominee Timothy Geithner went before a Senate panel Wednesday, answering questions on the financial crisis as well as his tax payment controversy. Analysts mull what's ahead for Obama's economic agenda. Continue watching
Jan 21 How Do You See Medicare and Social Security Being Changed to Accommodate Future Generations? By Business Desk Question/Comment: What is the future of Social Security and Medicare in the next 20-years and how do you see it being changed to accommodate future generations? Paul Solman: Medicare is a much bigger problem than Social Security. I think Medicare… Continue reading