May 08 Making Sen$e of Business, Finance, and Economics No more posts for today or the weekend as we debut (drum roll here, even trumpets, perhaps, or maybe a French overture)…our new Making Sen$e Web site, made possible by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation,… Continue reading
May 08 Jobs Reports Shows Layoff Pace Slowed in April By PBS News Hour The pace of layoffs slowed in April as employers cut 539,000 jobs, the fewest in six months, according to a Labor Department report released Friday. But the unemployment rate climbed to 8.9 percent, the highest since late 1983. Continue reading
May 05 Reader Response: Robert McElvaine on the Great Depression By Business Desk Comment: The coverage of the Great Depression by Robert McElvaine was so one sided it was unbelievable. [Editor’s note: You can watch the segment below.] Yes, the Great Depression was horrible, millions of people were out of work and… Continue reading
Apr 27 Watch In St. Louis, Unemployment Hits All Sectors As part of a series of reports from St. Louis on President Obama's first 100 days, Gwen Ifill examines the unemployment picture in St. Louis and talks to local residents about their thoughts on the economy. Continue watching
Apr 23 Watch Faces Behind the Unemployment Lines Essayist Anne Taylor Fleming examines the sense of shame and anger that many who have lost their jobs feel as unemployment lines continue to grow. Continue watching
Apr 22 Watch In South Africa, Zuma Poised to Assume Presidency As South Africans cast ballots Wednesday in a parliamentary election that will determine a new president, forecasts show the ruling party's Jacob Zuma is likely to win. NPR's Charlayne Hunter-Gault describes the challenges that will confront the nation's new leader,… Continue watching
Apr 16 Housing Market Continues to Stumble By PBS News Hour New home starts fell more than 10 percent in March, according to new government numbers released Thursday, while foreclosures surged 24 percent in the first quarter of the year. Continue reading
Apr 09 Watch Other News: Obama Touts Mortgage Plan; Kim Jong-il Makes Rare Public Appearance In other news, President Obama urged homeowners to take advantage of new programs designed to help them refinance their mortgages at lower interest rates. Also, Kim Jong-il accepted a third term as North Korea's supreme military leader. Continue watching
Apr 09 What Is the Rate of Hidden Unemployment? Question: What is the current rate of hidden unemployment in the United States, and is it trending upwards? Paul Solman: It’s not very hidden. Every month, the U.S. government reports a range of unemployment measures. The most inclusive is… Continue reading
Apr 03 Watch Jobless Rate Climbed to 8.5 Percent in March The latest report from the Labor Department showed the unemployment rate climbed to 8.5 percent in March. Christine Owens, executive director of the National Employment Law Project, offers insight on the numbers. Continue watching