Driving Sales

Last week automakers reported sales of 15.3 million, up from a low of 9.0 million in February 2009. The rise is due in part to ultra-low interest rates, but also to both a rapidly aging fleet and longer loan terms. The average age of a car is now 11.2 years, up from 8.4 in 1995,…

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Less Work

US employment peaked in 1/08 at 138.1 million. Employment then fell to a low of 129.3 million in 2/10, a loss of 8.8 million jobs. Today 46 months after the end of the recession, employment is 135.2 million, 2.9 million below the high. Assuming an optimistic 200,000 new jobs per month, a new employment high…

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Bad Booze

The Friday File: Due to skyrocketing demand and fixed supply of bourbon, rather than raising the price, the distiller of Maker’s Mark is reducing its alcoholic content by 7%! While most customers won’t notice, those that do will buy better bourbon like Knob Creek and Booker’s from the same distillery. Boosting the price of Maker’s…

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March For Jobs

March employment numbers come out tomorrow and they will disappoint. ADP reported weak private sector job growth numbers yesterday, first time unemployment claims that came out this morning and were on the high end and sequestration will probably knock off 5,000 to 15,000 jobs. Moreover, both the manufacturing and non-manufacturing sectors while still growing are…

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Building on Housing

As if more proof were needed that home building is rapidly improving, and that production builders are the biggest winners, Taylor Morrison plans an IPO to take advantage of the run-up in home builder stock prices. The planned IPO will value the firm at $2.6 billion. Not bad given that it was purchased in 2011…

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