Economy Jan 08 Watch Jobless Rate Holds Steady, Dashing Hopes for Speedy Recovery The U.S. economy shed 85,000 jobs in December, keeping the unemployment rate at 10 percent and dampening the outlook for a quick economic recovery.
Economy Oct 27 Paul Solman Answers Students’ Economic Questions Economics correspondent Paul Solman takes his Business Desk blog inside classrooms across the United States to respond to high school students' most pressing questions about Wall Street, the recession and unemployment. By PBS News Hour
Economy Oct 21 What’s the Difference Between a Recession and a Depression? Question: What is the difference between a recession and a depression? I have been out of work since last November. It seems like a depression for me. I worked for a civil/structural consulting engineering firm for the past 11 1/2…
Economy Sep 04 How Do We Compare Unemployment Across Decades If More People in a Household Are Working Now? Question: Economic reports routinely compare current unemployment statistics against historical unemployment statistics. However, I haven’t seen any discussion of the significant increase in the number of household members who are employed or looking for employment and its impact on such…
Jul 13 Watch Global Recession Impacts Dairy Prices, Farmers Amid the economic slowdown, the dairy industry is being hit with high costs and lower profits, forcing many farmers to make tough decisions. NewsHour special correspondent Jeffrey Kaye looks at how some California farmers are responding to depressed global demand. Continue watching
Jun 23 Watch Deciphering the Shape of Economic Recovery When economists discuss economic recovery, it's often in terms of the alphabet. In the latest installment of his Making Sen$e series, Paul Solman explains what phrases such as "V-shaped recovery" or "U-shaped recession" say about the economic outlook. Continue watching
May 05 Watch Glimmers of Economic Hope Emerge, But Tough Road May Remain Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told lawmakers Tuesday that the economy should pull out of a recession and start growing again later this year. Financial analysts assess where the economy stands and how new job numbers may impact the picture. Continue watching
Apr 27 When Will Any Housing Recovery Reach Small Businesses and Contractors? Question: The housing downturn has affected not only large builders, but also small businesses and contractors that support and supply them. How long will any recovery take for these sort of businesses? Paul Solman: I’m sort of a broken CD… Continue reading
Mar 30 Will We Still Reject Materialism After the Downturn? Question: I enjoyed your recent interview with Robert McElvaine. (Editor’s note: Watch the interview below.) His thesis that the downturn will lead us away from consumption as a way of life to what really matters is interesting. Am I… Continue reading