Dec 09 Is There Momentum for a Second Stimulus? Paul Solman: I’ve been tweeting for the past few months and some “followers” have taken to asking questions directly on Twitter. I’ll be posting a couple of recent ones this week, with my stenographic (haiku-like?) replies, expanded for the… Continue reading
Dec 07 Are Credit Unions Insured by the Government? Question: From the standpoint of government-backed insurance, are deposits in credit unions equally secure as those in FDIC-insured banks? Paul Solman: Yes. See my recent answer to this question in a Pocket Change… Continue reading
Dec 04 The Story Behind the Nov. Jobs Numbers Paul Solman: Good jobs data dominate the headlines this morning: Unemployment holding pretty much steady at long last; dramatic downward revision in last month’s number of lost jobs; average hours up. The NYT… Continue reading
Dec 03 Who Cares If Wall Street Execs Quit? Question: Why are so many people concerned that if there are controls put on the remuneration of top people in the financial industry, that these people will leave? Aren’t they the prime causes of the financial crisis in the first… Continue reading
Dec 02 How Many Board Members at Bailed-Out Wall St. Firms Kept Their Jobs? Question: How many people on the Board of Directors at AIG, Citi, B of A, and Goldman Sachs kept their jobs and their salaries (in percentage terms) after receiving billions in bailout funds?… Continue reading
Dec 01 Isn’t Currency Control a Protectionist Policy? Question: One of the commentators on the Newhour recently said that China does not want to devalue its currency for fear of decreasing the attractiveness of its export products and increasing unemployment in China. But the Chinese president recently… Continue reading
Nov 30 Is the UK Breaking Up Big Banks? Question: Why is the United Kingdom breaking up big banks that got bailed out? Are they wrong? Paul Solman: The UK seems committed to one interesting idea in the wake of the crisis, but it doesn’t appear to be breaking… Continue reading
Nov 30 Ask Paul a Question The Business Desk is about the basics of economics, and it lives on questions from readers like you. Paul’s mantra: There are no stupid questions. So, please ask away on all things business and economics. Just use the form… Continue reading
Nov 27 Student Questions: The Gap Between Rich and Poor Editor’s note: This week, the Business Desk continues to feature questions from students in three high schools around the country. Question: Why is the financial gap between rich and poor continuing to get wider? — Stephanie, senior, Carle Place… Continue reading
Nov 26 Student Questions: The Recession and the Middle Class Editor’s note: This week, the Business Desk continues to feature questions from students in three high schools around the country. Question: What can the average middle class person do to improve their finances during a recession? — Melissa, senior,… Continue reading