Daily Economy News
-
•
Social Security COLA Forecast, Right On the Money
The American Institute for Economic Research has a long history of accurate forecasting on economic matters, such as predicting recessions. Our senior research fellow, Polina Vlaskeno, was once again right on the money when it came to predicting the size of next year’s Social Security cost-of-living adjustment.
-
•
The Housing Market, Still Haunted
Six years after the Great Recession, key parts of the housing market continue to struggle to find momentum, the reasons for which are outlined in the new October edition of Business Conditions Monthly, the American Institute for Economic Research’s bird’s-eye view of the economy. Owning a home has been held up as a key part…
-
•
A Recession Wouldn’t Spread Here Like a Cold
Yesterday, a financial reporter posed a good question to me: Why haven’t the global economic woes caused a recession in this country? Or, why wouldn’t they? It’s hard to look away from the problems in China, Greece and elsewhere. Last week, U.S. News & World Report quoted our report, Business Conditions Monthly, on the possibility…
-
•
Social Security “File and Suspend”: An Example
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote up the case for the “file and suspend” Social Security claiming strategy for married, two-earner households. To recap, the strategy can allow two-earner couples to collect a Social Security spousal benefit for up to four years without compromising long-term benefits. The blog was well-received, but it also brought…
-
•
People Are Using Their Credit Cards More
Here’s one more bit of data that backs up the storyline of the U.S. economy continuing its trajectory of growth. The Federal Reserve on Wednesday released its consumer credit report, showing that the trend of 6 to 7 percent annual growth that started in early 2014 continued in August. The major driver recently has been…
-
•
A Prediction Social Security Recipients Won’t Like
Every October, Social Security recipients, numbering close to 60 million today, get the announcement of the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to be applied to their benefits the following year. This usually results in a little extra money in their pockets. But the data we have today are sufficient to forecast that the adjustment, sorry to say,…
-
•
Humans Aren’t Wired For Investing
Economists are frustrated by investors. Investors will just not follow their models. You see, there is a tendency among investors to sell stocks after a big drop in price, at exactly the time when the expected return has increased. On the flip side, there is a tendency to buy just after prices have risen, when…
-
•
How Lesser Investments Can Create Better Investors
The humans that put their money into financial markets have a tendency to underperform their investments — by a wide margin.
-
•
AIER Begins Distribution to Libraries
AIER materials are now available online in more than 500 libraries in Massachusetts. The distribution through the Massachusetts Library System went live September 23, and is part of the Institute’s new partnership with Biblioboard, an electronic library subscription service.
-
•
Lefty Presidents Are Better For Markets
I tallied S&P 500 index returns under different presidents. Even with Herbert Hoover’s atrocious left-handed start from 1929 through 1932, lefty presidents have seen annual S&P 500 growth almost 2 percentage points better than righty presidents. Under their 40 years of tenure, lefty presidents have seen price appreciation of about 7.2 percent per year. This…
-
•
Social Security COLA Forecast, Right On the Money
The American Institute for Economic Research has a long history of accurate forecasting on economic matters, such as predicting recessions. Our senior research fellow, Polina Vlaskeno, was once again right on the money when it came to predicting the size of next year’s Social Security cost-of-living adjustment.
-
•
The Housing Market, Still Haunted
Six years after the Great Recession, key parts of the housing market continue to struggle to find momentum, the reasons for which are outlined in the new October edition of Business Conditions Monthly, the American Institute for Economic Research’s bird’s-eye view of the economy. Owning a home has been held up as a key part…
-
•
A Recession Wouldn’t Spread Here Like a Cold
Yesterday, a financial reporter posed a good question to me: Why haven’t the global economic woes caused a recession in this country? Or, why wouldn’t they? It’s hard to look away from the problems in China, Greece and elsewhere. Last week, U.S. News & World Report quoted our report, Business Conditions Monthly, on the possibility…
-
•
Social Security “File and Suspend”: An Example
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote up the case for the “file and suspend” Social Security claiming strategy for married, two-earner households. To recap, the strategy can allow two-earner couples to collect a Social Security spousal benefit for up to four years without compromising long-term benefits. The blog was well-received, but it also brought…
-
•
People Are Using Their Credit Cards More
Here’s one more bit of data that backs up the storyline of the U.S. economy continuing its trajectory of growth. The Federal Reserve on Wednesday released its consumer credit report, showing that the trend of 6 to 7 percent annual growth that started in early 2014 continued in August. The major driver recently has been…
-
•
A Prediction Social Security Recipients Won’t Like
Every October, Social Security recipients, numbering close to 60 million today, get the announcement of the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to be applied to their benefits the following year. This usually results in a little extra money in their pockets. But the data we have today are sufficient to forecast that the adjustment, sorry to say,…
-
•
Humans Aren’t Wired For Investing
Economists are frustrated by investors. Investors will just not follow their models. You see, there is a tendency among investors to sell stocks after a big drop in price, at exactly the time when the expected return has increased. On the flip side, there is a tendency to buy just after prices have risen, when…
-
•
How Lesser Investments Can Create Better Investors
The humans that put their money into financial markets have a tendency to underperform their investments — by a wide margin.
-
•
AIER Begins Distribution to Libraries
AIER materials are now available online in more than 500 libraries in Massachusetts. The distribution through the Massachusetts Library System went live September 23, and is part of the Institute’s new partnership with Biblioboard, an electronic library subscription service.
-
•
Lefty Presidents Are Better For Markets
I tallied S&P 500 index returns under different presidents. Even with Herbert Hoover’s atrocious left-handed start from 1929 through 1932, lefty presidents have seen annual S&P 500 growth almost 2 percentage points better than righty presidents. Under their 40 years of tenure, lefty presidents have seen price appreciation of about 7.2 percent per year. This…