Jul 28 U.S. Home Prices Rise Slightly, Consumer Confidence Drops Again By Carolyn O'Hara A key measure of the housing market shows that U.S. home prices rose slightly in May, posting the first monthly increase since the summer of 2006. Meanwhile, consumer confidence continued to decline, according to another closely watched measurement. Continue reading
Jul 23 Is Unemployment Any Guide to Future Growth? Question: How reliable is unemployment data as a guide to future economic growth? Paul Solman: Not much at all, I wouldn’t think. For one thing, employment tends to FOLLOW growth — for the obvious… Continue reading
Jul 09 Why Do Tube Drivers Earn More than Bus Drivers in the UK? Robert Frank: A British reader posted the following query on my UK publisher’s web site: “Why do tube drivers get paid so much more than bus drivers?” An American economist trying to field questions about markets in the UK… Continue reading
Jul 05 Reader Response: The Uncounted Unemployed Paul Solman: A provocative response, via the PBS Ombudsman, to Thursday’s story about undercounting unemployment. The emailer said it was okay if her name was posted. I assume that means it’s okay to… Continue reading
Jul 02 Employers Shed More Jobs Than Expected in June, Unemployment Reaches 9.5 Percent By Admin, PBS News Hour Employers cut more jobs than expected in June, nudging the unemployment rate closer to double digits and quashing hopes for a quick economic recovery. Continue reading
Jun 17 Watch Other News: Chrysler to Reopen 7 Plants In other news, Chrysler said it will reopen seven auto plants, and the National Security Administration's domestic surveillance program may have been broader than first realized, according to The New York Times. Continue watching
Jun 05 Job Losses Slow, but Unemployment Hits 9.4% By Admin, PBS News Hour Unemployment jumped to a 25-year high in May, according to new Labor Department numbers, but the rate of job losses slowed with 345,000 jobs lost last month, down from 504,000 in April. Continue reading
Jun 05 What's Your Take on the New Unemployment Numbers? Question: What’s your take on the new unemployment numbers? Paul Solman: First Friday: That time of the month again. Time for the official unemployment number, that is. Today’s is being trumpeted as yet another “green shoot.” A net job loss… Continue reading
May 28 New Jobless Claims Fall, Manufacturing Orders Rise By Admin, PBS News Hour In new signs that the recession may be ebbing, orders for big-ticket manufactured goods rose by 1.9 percent and the number of new jobless claims fell, although the number continuing to receive unemployment remained at the highest level since 1967. Continue reading
May 11 What's the Argument FOR Tax Havens? By Business Desk Question: I understand that President Obama is going after the use of offshore tax havens by U.S. corporations. My gut feeling is that he’s right to do this, but I’ve never really heard both sides of the argument. Is there… Continue reading