Business Conditions
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Existing-Home Sales Fall Again
Sales of existing homes fell again in September. The combination of rising home prices and higher interest rates is likely weighing on housing activity, and is likely to restrain activity in the coming months and quarters.
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Why Debt-Driven Booms Are Unsustainable
Modern central banking claims to make the money supply more elastic to stabilize the economy. The rationale says that left to itself, the market economy is unstable. Yet the evidence suggests the opposite: that modern central banking is the main culprit for boom and bust.
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Falling Housing Permits Suggests a Cautious Outlook for Housing
The housing market appears to be struggling with a combination of elevated home prices and rising interest rates. With interest rates likely to drift even higher over coming months and quarters, the outlook for housing is cautious.
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Labor-Market Outlook Remains Strong as Job Openings Surge
The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows a surge in job openings in August, to 7.136 million, while private sector job openings totaled 6.464 million. Both are at new all-time highs.
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The Next Financial Crises
The next financial crisis is just around the corner. It is only a matter of time until once again the world economy will be shocked by a massive contraction of liquidity. All markets are linked, and the origin of a new crisis can come from anywhere. A global financial crisis is the result of an…
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Why this Mattress Company Went Belly Up
Historically, unsustainable debt service levels and distorted commercial decision-making are frequently precipitated by artificially low interest rates.
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Florence Hits Jobs Report but Trends Remain Positive
The impact of Hurricane Florence was evident in the September employment report as nonfarm payrolls rose just 134,000. However, the preponderance of data suggests the labor market remains robust and that the economy is likely to grow at a healthy pace.
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ISM Reports Suggest Robust Economic Growth
The latest monthly reports from the Institute for Supply Management show that the economy continued to expand at a robust pace in September. Details in both reports were decisively positive and suggest strong, broad-based growth in the economy.
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Whose Economy is it, Anyway?
The essence of economics is far too complex to accredit to a politician.
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Income and Spending Post Solid Gains in August as Price Increases Moderate
Personal income and consumer spending are up 5.3 percent over the past year. Together, these support a positive outlook for the economy with a low probability of recession over the next several months and quarters.
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•
Existing-Home Sales Fall Again
Sales of existing homes fell again in September. The combination of rising home prices and higher interest rates is likely weighing on housing activity, and is likely to restrain activity in the coming months and quarters.
-
•
Why Debt-Driven Booms Are Unsustainable
Modern central banking claims to make the money supply more elastic to stabilize the economy. The rationale says that left to itself, the market economy is unstable. Yet the evidence suggests the opposite: that modern central banking is the main culprit for boom and bust.
-
•
Falling Housing Permits Suggests a Cautious Outlook for Housing
The housing market appears to be struggling with a combination of elevated home prices and rising interest rates. With interest rates likely to drift even higher over coming months and quarters, the outlook for housing is cautious.
-
•
Labor-Market Outlook Remains Strong as Job Openings Surge
The latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows a surge in job openings in August, to 7.136 million, while private sector job openings totaled 6.464 million. Both are at new all-time highs.
-
•
The Next Financial Crises
The next financial crisis is just around the corner. It is only a matter of time until once again the world economy will be shocked by a massive contraction of liquidity. All markets are linked, and the origin of a new crisis can come from anywhere. A global financial crisis is the result of an…
-
•
Why this Mattress Company Went Belly Up
Historically, unsustainable debt service levels and distorted commercial decision-making are frequently precipitated by artificially low interest rates.
-
•
Florence Hits Jobs Report but Trends Remain Positive
The impact of Hurricane Florence was evident in the September employment report as nonfarm payrolls rose just 134,000. However, the preponderance of data suggests the labor market remains robust and that the economy is likely to grow at a healthy pace.
-
•
ISM Reports Suggest Robust Economic Growth
The latest monthly reports from the Institute for Supply Management show that the economy continued to expand at a robust pace in September. Details in both reports were decisively positive and suggest strong, broad-based growth in the economy.
-
•
Whose Economy is it, Anyway?
The essence of economics is far too complex to accredit to a politician.
-
•
Income and Spending Post Solid Gains in August as Price Increases Moderate
Personal income and consumer spending are up 5.3 percent over the past year. Together, these support a positive outlook for the economy with a low probability of recession over the next several months and quarters.