The Bowtie Economist's Daily Dose of 70-Word Wisdom


Really it’s Recession

02/23/2011

U.S. consumer confidence (Conference Board survey) jumped to 70.4 in Feb from 64.8 in Jan; the 5th increase in a row and best level since Feb ‘08. But, we are 20 months into a recovery, and 70.4 is the second…

Read More

Boomer’s battle

02/22/2011

There was sobering article on the front page of the WSJ (weekend edition) titled Retiring Boomers Find 401(k) Plans Fall Short. The key statistic was that the median household headed by a person between the ages of 60 and 62…

Read More

Fiscal Year begins

02/18/2011

Given signs of inflation QE ends in June taking wind out of the S&P. The fiscal year for S&L govts starts in July and big tax hikes and spending cuts are due. State restraint is already visible in reduced employment.…

Read More

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

02/17/2011

The Good: Fed lifted its GDP forecast for ’11 to a 3.4% to 3.9% band from 3.0%-3.4% based on minutes from Jan meeting. The Bad: Ongoing frustration with slow progress in the labor market compelled the Fed to say that…

Read More

WWII Bull Markets

02/16/2011

The US has had two huge bull markets since the end of WWII; ’46-’66 and ’82-’00. Each time there was a positive shock to the economy. The 1st bull market resulted from baby boomers and the creation of the Interstate…

Read More

Better Sentiments

02/15/2011

Consumer sentiment came in better than expected in Feb at 75.1 but the expectations component which leads spending growth fell to 67.6 from 69.3 in Jan and all the gains in consumer confidence were in the high income segment; soaring…

Read More

Home Equity

02/14/2011

The fall in house prices and home equity have robbed fledging entreprenneurs of one of the most popular sources of funding; equity in their homes! This loss means fewer basement and garage start-ups in general and many fewer in the…

Read More

Families in the Market

02/10/2011

I am quite bullish on the multi-family area of the market where demand is strong and strengthening and vacancy rates are declining. The apartment space looks good but as the homeownership rate continues to fall, the improvement in MF is…

Read More

New Zealand Recession?

02/09/2011

New Zealand’s finance minister is suggesting his country could be on the precipice of a recession later this year & a flood-induced Q1 contraction in Australia seems assured. Inflationary pressures are building in emerging markets. Thus the need for interest…

Read More

Sellin’ Outside the USA

02/08/2011

S&P 500 sales did quite well in Q4 — up 7.7% and ahead of estimates by a country mile. But, from what I see most growth in sales is coming from outside the USA! Here, revenues are growing at barely…

Read More

Recent Posts

Categories

Archives