May 27 Do Mutual Funds Count as Savings? Question: You recently did a piece on savings, and it made me wonder. Every month, I shunt some money automatically into mutual funds (nothing to do with an official retirement account). The portion that is in a money market… Continue reading
May 21 How One Economics Reporter Experienced His Own Mortgage Meltdown Paul Solman: Who knew? I’ve been reading Ed Andrews since he took over the New York Times patents column back in the late 1980s, and I followed him following the housing crisis. But until the… Continue reading
May 20 Ask Behavioral Economist Dan Ariely Your Questions About the Economic Crisis and Human Behavior Editor’s Note: Dan Ariely, a noted behavioral economist at Duke University and author of Predictably Irrational, is different from many of his economist colleagues. Ariely studies irrationality in economic behavior — despite the fact that economics is largely… Continue reading
May 20 Watch Behavioral Economist Examines Interplay of Money, Morality and Rationality In the latest in economics correspondent Paul Solman's Making Sense series, behavioral economist Dan Ariely mulls decision-making mechanisms in finance and they ways in which many people rationalize their unethical actions. Continue watching
May 19 Watch British Speaker of the House of Commons Resigns Over Expense Scandal Michael Martin, the Speaker of the House of Commons, announced his resignation Tuesday following allegations that officials used public funding for personal expenses like housing renovations and mortgage payments. Special correspondent Simon Marks reports. Continue watching
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
Apr 30 Why Is the Gold Standard a Bad Idea? Question: Why is the gold standard such a bad idea? I know it is a discredited system, but having never studied economics, I don’t understand why. Right now, is our money just some arbitrary amount issued by the Federal Reserve?… Continue reading
Apr 30 Reader Responses: The Paradox of Thrift You can watch one of Paul’s recent Making $ense pieces, The Paradox of Thrift, below. Here are a few reader reactions and Paul’s responses. Question: I have a question related to your recent segment, Paradox of Thrift: Aren’t the… Continue reading
Apr 22 Where Can I Find Updates on the U.S. Money Supply? Question: The money supply of the United States is such a key economic indicator, why don’t we get a reading of it on a daily basis? It seems like it would be a lot more valuable gauge of the economy… Continue reading
Apr 21 Watch TARP Report Warns of Taxpayer Risk in Bank Rescue Plan The Special Inspector General for TARP said Tuesday that the Treasury Department should do more to safeguard taxpayer dollars in the banking rescue plan. Kwame Holman reports. Continue watching