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Data360 News Review - Staging Table (#432) (DPR)
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10/19/2011
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is the source table for Data360's main News Review.
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Field Legend
Field Type
Article Summary and Visual
TMP Comments - for review
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Units of Measure
Field Notes
1
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4
[Im1:1211]
[IM2:1211]
Energy Oil
2008-06-19: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/business/19gas.html"]Driving Less, Americans Finally React to Sting of Gas Prices,
Study Says[/URL].
[IM1:46]
Americans are driving 1.8 fewer miles per month. Sales of large vehicles have dropped to below 50 percent of new vehicle sales, while hybrid
vehicle sales in California are rising. Americans are using public transportation, carpooling, or taking fewer trips. Clifford Krauss, New York
Energy - 2008-07-02: [url="http://www.earth-policy.org/Books/PB3/80by2020.htm"]Earth Policy Institute's Plan B[/url].
Times.
Alternative [IM1:87]
This plan calls for 80% reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 2020 through managing natural resources to sequester CO2, reducing fossil
fuel use, restructuring transportation systems, and using renewable sources of energy. Brown, Larsen, Dorn, and Moore, Earth Policy Institute.
Retail
2008-07-13: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/business/13count.html"]Consumers Increasing Credit Card Debt[/URL] Revolving debt
for Americans is now almost $1 trillion. This in comparison to about $13 trillion in national debt (check fact). Phyllis Korkki, New York Times.
[URL="http://www.data360.org/uploaded_images/20080726064658.nytimes-2008-07-13.gif"]Total Consumer Credit[/URL]
5
6
7
8
US
Housing
Market
2008-07-16: [url="http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2008/07/socketsites_san_francisco_listed_housing_inventory_upda_19.html"]San
Francisco Listed Housing Inventory[/url].
[IM1:68]
Inventory of Active listed single-family homes, condos, and TICs in San Francisco is currently running 27% higher on a year-over-year basis.
The volume of Active listings which have undergone at least one price reduction is up 70%. SocketSite.
Education 2008-07-17: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/17/BAS311QATI.DTL"]California high school dropout rate far
higher than expected[/URL].
[DG:1992]
The California high school drop out rate was recently found to be much higher than previously thought. Nanette Asimov, San Francisco
Chronicle.
US
2008-07-19: [url="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E00E7D6153FF93AA25754C0A96E9C8B63"]A Slowdown With Trouble at
Housing
Every Turn[/url].
Market, US [im1:158]
GDP, US Goodman and Cox, New York Times
Employment
Legal,
2008-07-19: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/19/us/19pardon.html"]Requests for Pardons Growing[/url] Charlie Savage, New York
Crime
Times.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/07/19/us/19pardongraphic.ready.html"]Pardon Graphic[/url]
9
10
Global
2008-07-21: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121659937598269113.html"]Historical Analysis of Countries Experiencing Banking Crises[/url]
Economies US policymakers are at a crossroads in figuring out whether or not to police the financial markets. Jon Hilsenrath, Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://www.data360.org/uploaded_images/20080726063519.WSJIMAGE20080721marketpolicepoorly.gif"]Markets Police Themselves
Poorly[/url]
Global
2008-07-21: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/21/business/worldbusiness/21arabfood.html"]Crops or Water[/URL]. "Mideast facing
Economies difficult choice, crops or water...Global shortages push a region to rely less on food imports." Andrew Martin, New York Times.
This is where we put comments on changes for
the main news review
11
US
Housing
Market
2008-07-23: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/23/business/23rates.html"]Jumbo vs. Conforming Loan Rates: Historical Data[/url]
[IM1:http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/07/23/business/23rates.graphix.ready.html]
We are at an all-time record in the difference between Jumbo and Conforming loans. Problem is that Jumbo loans are more difficult to
combine into a security for re-sale. Vikas Bajaj, New York Times,
12
Retail
2008-07-24: [URL="http://www.economist.com/markets/indicators/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11792889"]World's Biggest Companies [/URL].
[Im1:37]Wal-Mart tops the list. The Economist, Fortune.
13
Energy - 2008-07-24: [url="http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_31/b4094022627889.htm"]Power Surge[/url].
Electricity [url="http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_31/b4094022629893.htm"]High Tensions: Retail Prices per Kilowatt Hour, Cents[/url]
High prices of coal and natural gas, as well as high demand on aging electric grids, are causing electricity bills to rise in an already-strained
economy. Palmeri and Aston, Business Week.
14
Public
Opinion
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
2008-07-24: [URL="http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11792366"] America Unhappy and Dissatisfied with
Conditions[/URL]
[IM1:35]In the past 8 years, Americans have grown increasingly dissatisfied with the way things are going in America. The Economist.
US GDP 2008-07-24: [URL="http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11792366"] America Unhappy: Rich are Getting
Richer[/URL].
[IM1:36]
In the 60's and 70's, the 1% richest had about 7.5% of total income. Today that number is about 17.5% and the last time things were that
unequal was the 1910 to 1930 period, which, along with the depression, brought on FDR and the New Deal. I wonder what the comparative
Education 2008-07-25: [URL="http://tinyurl.com/56v59z"]Gender Similarities Characterize Math Performance [/URL]
figures to the 17.5% are for other countries? The Economist.
[URL="http://psych.wisc.edu/faculty/bio/NewHyde.html"]Janet Hyde bio page[/URL]
[URL="http://www.marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2008/07/summers-vindica.html"]Summers Vindicated (again) - Marginal
Revolution[/URL]
Study by Janet Hyde of the University of Wisconsin and others indicates that in standardized tests in the U.S that girls now score just as well as
boys in math. Hyde et al, Science Magazine.
US Federal 2008-07-25: [URL="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/5908277.html"]A New Measure of Poverty [/URL]. Mayor Bloomberg is
Deficit /
proposing a new way of measuring poverty that is more reflective of the relative costs that people spend today on various aspects of living:
US
2008-07-26: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/26/nyregion/26pay.html"]Wall St. Bonuses to Fall $10 Billion [/URL]
Surplus
food, housing, clothing, etc. Apparently the government measures of poverty rely upon food as a third of all spending, whereas today it is
Economy [IM1:41]Bonuses expected to drop by 20 to 40% this year. Patrick McGeehan, New York Times.
considerably less, even for the most poor. Editorial, Houston Chronicle.
Education 2008-07-26: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/26/us/26pausch.html"]Randy Pausch dies [/URL].
[IM1:40]
Obituary for the man whose "last lecture" inspired many to live with wonder. [I was fascinated by his graph, "how easy are you to work with,"
where his students ranked each other. Pausch believed that is was important for everyone to have a feedback loop to understand, with brutal
honesty, how they were perceived]. Douglas Martin, New York Times.
Technology 2008-07-26: [URL="http://oecdfactbook.wordpress.com/2008/07/25/how-to-publish-charts-in-blogs-and-websites/"] OECD Blog on Options for
Publishing Charts[/URL]
[IM1:34]Post by the OECD on various options for publishing charts on the web. Mentions Swivel, Many-Eyes, Processing, Google tools,
Defense
Yahoo tools and
2008-07-26:
[URL="http://www.understandingwar.org"]Understanding
various other options. Does not mention Data360 and
War
I will
[/URL]
leaveisaapost
fascinating
for OECD.
organization focused on education about war,
Spending led by a woman named Kimberly Kagan, whose resume is formidable. Site has excellent statistics in the attached link.
and
Technology [url="http://www.understandingwar.org/iraq-statistics-reference-july-2008"]Iraq War Statistics[/URL]
22
US
2008-07-27: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/business/27count.html"] Fewer Unemployed Execs Start Their Own Business [/URL]
Employment[IM1:38]Phyllis Korkki, New York Times.
23
US Federal 2008-07-27: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/magazine/27wwln-lede-t.html?ref=business"]No Free Bubble [/URL] Why the federal
Deficit /
government should not be in the bailout business. Roger Lowestein, New York Times.
Surplus
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/07/27/magazine/27wwln-lede.graphic.ready.html"]Homeownership Rates in the US[/URL].
See also, http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing/census/historic/owner.html and
Philanthropy2008-07-27: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/07/27/MN9N12082J.DTL"]California Ranks 42nd in Volunteering
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing/hvs/historic/index.html
[/URL] California comes in at 24.3%, national average at 26.2%. Utah is the leading state and Minneapolis-St. Paul is the leading city. Matt
Sedensky and David Crary, San Francisco Chronicle.
24
25
[URL="http://www.volunteeringinamerica.gov/map.cfm?mode=1"]www.volunteeringinamerica.gov [/URL]
US Federal 2008-07-28: [URL="http://www.cbpp.org/pubs/sfp.htm"]Center on Budget and Policy Priorities [/URL]
Deficit /
[IM1:39]Fascinating organization. "At least twenty-nine states, including several of the nation???????s largest, faced or are facing shortfalls in
Surplus
their fiscal year 2009 budgets." List of states and their impending budget deficits.
26
US Interest 2008-07-28: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/28/business/economy/28credit.html?hp"]Business Loans Sharply Reduced[/URL]
Rates
[IM1:42]
(Headline) Loans are being reduced not only to risky ventures, but even to healthy businesses. Peter Goodman, New York Times.
27
Human
2008-07-29: [URL="http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/07/29/black.aids.report/index.html"] Report: Black U.S. AIDS rates rival
Health
some African nations[/URL]. AIDS is as common among black people in the United States as it is among people in some countries in Africa.
Environment2008-07-29: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/us/29recycle.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss"]Houston Resists Recycling[/URL]
[IM1:43]
Of the 30 largest cities in the US, Houston rates the lowest, recycling 2.6 percent of its waste; whereas San Francisco rates the highest,
recycling 69 percent of its waste. Adam Ellick, New York Times.
28
29
30
US Federal 2008-07-29: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/29/washington/29budget.html?hp"]White House Predicts $482 Billion Deficit[/URL]
Deficit /
[IM1:44]This may not even be all of it. Cost of Iraq and Afghanistan, $50B economic stimulus package, and more possible losses from lower
Surplus
income and profits are not included in this total. Article cites McCain and Obama's plans to address deficit. Pear and Herszenhorn, New York
Energy - 2008-07-29:
Times.
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/29/BUD6120SRG.DTL"]Less driving forces gas prices down[/URL].
Oil
[IM1:45]
"And American drivers can thank themselves for the drop." Gas prices passed their peak and have recently been falling a cent a day because
Americans, shocked by prices, are spending less. David Baker, San Francisco Chronicle.
31
US
Economy
32
US
Economy
33
34
35
36
37
38
2008-07-29:
[url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/30/BU5S121FN1.DTL&hw=consumer+confidence&sn=001&sc=1000"]Consumer
Confidence Press Release[/url]
[IM1:50]Consumers'
2008-07-30:
[url="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=a0Jngn.579uI"]Rosenberg
appraisal of current economic conditions remains 'bleak," worsening all of 2008. ThisSays
index
`Well-Heeled'
measures consumer
Join the Pain[/url].
perception
The
Conference
of labor
Board's
market,
Consumer
businessConfidence
conditions, Index
present
shows
situation,
that confidence
and expectations.
amongst
However,
Americans
perhaps
with an
weincome
have reached
of at least
the$50,000
trough: iis
although
at a
still pessimistic,
low
not seen since
views
the are
early
slightly
1990's.
up Thomas
from lastKeene,
month. Bloomberg.com
Anne D'Innocenzio (AP), San Francisco Chronicle.
[url="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/data?pid=avimage&iid=i.hcOXt8LDF4"]Conference Board's Confidence Index for Americans with
Immigration2008-07-30: [url="http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=hsnews-000002930335"]Study Says Enforcement is Driving
Incomes Over $50,000[/url]
Down Number of Illegals[/url].
[IM1:54]Monthly data collected by the Census Bureau through May 2008 shows a significant decline in the number
US
2008-07-30: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/29/MNH7121IS3.DTL&tsp=1"]Price of Homes Plunging[/url]
Housing
[IM1:48]
Market
The 20 cities in the S&P/Case-Shiller index have seen home prices fall to about 16% of prices a year ago, with the San Francisco metropolitan
area 22.9% lower this May compared with last year. For perspective, these low SF prices are still 62.7% higher than in January 2000. Carolyn
Said, San Francisco Chronicle.
US
2008-07-31: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/31/business/31hotel.html?scp=2&sq=part-time%20workers&st=cse"]Terrible Time for a
Economy Hotel Boom[/url]. This year's high gas prices, slumping economy, and bankrupt airlines have put the brakes on the tourism industry; but new
hotels, carrying out plans for expansion created during last year's boom, are opening at record levels. This could result in harmful low
occupancy levels in hotels, which are already becoming apparent. Bhattarai and Bernstein, New York Times.
US
2008-07-31:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/07/31/business/20080731_HOTEL_GRAPHIC.html"]Hotel Occupancy Rates and Hawaiian
Employment[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/31/business/economy/31jobs.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=part-time%20workers&st=cse&oref=slogin"]Cut to
Tourism[/url]
Part Time[/url]. Unemployment during this economic downturn seems moderate--less severe than in other downturns--but the low
unemployment statistic does not account for the high number of full-time jobs that have had to be scaled back to part-time jobs. 3.7 million
Americans face fewer hours of work, lesser pay, and rising fuel and food prices because of this type of cutback. Peter Goodman, New York
Environment2008-07-31: [url="http://www.sfchroniclemarketplace.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/31/MNHL122B1T.DTL"]51% of Californians Back
Times.
Offshore Drilling[/url]. As gas prices increase, more and more Californians support the idea of more oil drilling off the coast. Supporters jumped
Sustainability
2008-08-01: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121750797983500643.html"]Beijing Pollution Index[/url].
mostly among Republicans, but Democrats and independents approval is also increasing. Jane Kay, San Francisco Chronicle.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/07/31/business/20080731_JOBS_GRAPHIC.html"]Americans
[IM1:59]Beijing
fights to get clean air. Shai Oster, Wall Street Journal.
Working Part-Time[/url]
39
US
Economy
2008-08-01: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121754261083502461.html"]
[IM1:61]Inflation Hits the Bottle[/url]. Prices of Bordeaux are on the rise. Gaiter and Brecher, Wall Street Journal.
40
Public
Opinion
2008-08-01: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121755195267602989.html"]Press 1 for McCain, 2 for Obama[/url]
[IM1:60]Automated polling is gaining accuracy and acceptance. The Wall Street Journal's "Numbers Guy" Carl Bialik.
41
Human
Health
2008-08-01: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121755336096303089.html"]Too Fit to be President?[/url].
[IM1:56]Interesting view of the heights and weights of past presidents. Amy Chozick, Wall Street Journal.
42
US Federal 2008-08-01: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121755431693203159.html"]McCain, Obama Tilt Over Taxes[/url].
Deficit /
[IM1:55]
Surplus
US has steep obligation ahead for Social Security as a % of GDP. Laura Meckler, Wall Street Journal.
43
44
45
46
US
2008-08-01: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121755649066303381.html"]Wal-Mart Warns of Democratic Win[/url].
Employment[IM1:57]Union membership has seen slight gains and a Democratic win could accelerate that trend. Zimmerman and Maher, Wall Street
Journal.
Global
2008-08-01:
Economies [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/01/opinion/01hanson.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=victor%20hanson&st=cse&oref=slogin"]Harvesting Money
Human
2008-08-01: [url="http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-08-02-hiv-infections_N.htm"]AIDS Survey Signals 'Downturn in Treatment'[/url].
in a Hungry World[/url]. Why China and India backed out of the WTO talks. The US needs to share a good portion of the blame. Victor Davis
Health
[IM1:64]This new study shows that thousands more US citizens are getting HIV than was previously thought. Many HIV/AIDS patients in the
Hanson, New York Times.
US are stopping medication or treatment because of the harsh side effects. Steve Sternberg, USA Today.
Entrepreneurship
2008-08-01: [url="http://www.usfca.edu/sobam/nvc/pub/svvcindex.html"]The Silicon Valley Venture Capitalist Confidence Index[/url]
[DG:1995]
Founded in 2004, an index for the health of expectations of venture capitalists. (TM). Mark V. Cannice, Ph.D., Executive Director/Founder, USF
Entrepreneurship Program, University of San Francisco.
47
US
2008-08-01:[URL="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080801/ap_on_bi_go_ec_fi/economy_63"]Jobless rate rises to 4-year high[/URL]
Unemployment
[DG:44]
(Headline) The unemployment rate in the United States rose to 5.7% in July following 51,000 job cuts by employers.
48
US
Economy
49
2008-08-01:[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/01/business/01econ.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&8au=&oref=slogin&emc=au&adxnnlx=1217610907-yAvex1t2vnh/5EVBco+YgQ"]
More Arrows Seen Pointing Toward a Recession.[/URL]
[DG:274]The Gross Domestic Product in the United States grew more slowly than expected between April and June 2008. The government
Technology 2008-08-02:
also made a downward adjustment to the GDP growth rates for the last three months of 2007.
[url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/03/BUOH10IJU0.DTL&hw=china+virtual+landscape&sn=001&sc=1000"]Startups
Bring Web 2.0 to Chinese Masses[/url].
[DG:555]China has a higher number -- but a lower percentage -- of internet users than the United States. This signals a large potential for
growth. Ellen Lee, San Francisco Chronicle.
50
Human
Health
51
US
Economy
52
Human
Health
53
US
Economy
Human
Health
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
2008-08-03:
Data360's
[url="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=315"]Global
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/business/03metrics.html"]The Overflowing
InternetAmerican
Usage[/url]
Dinner
Graph
Plate[/url].
Group. "In 1970, the
average American ate about 16.4 pounds of food a week ... By 2006, the average intake grew by an additional 1.8 pounds a week." Bill Marsh,
New York Times.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/08/03/business/03metrics.graphix.ready.html"]The Weekly Diet in 1970 and 2006[/url]
2008-08-03: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/03/business/03wynn.html"]The Chips Are Down in Vegas[/url]. The current US economic
slowdown is also slowing business in Las Vegas casinos. In the face of this, Steve Wynn will open a $2.3 billion Encore casino resort later this
year. Julie Creswell, New York Times.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/08/03/business/03wynn.graphix.ready.html"]Change in gambling revenue, average daily room
2008-08-03: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/03/BUGA121GPF.DTL"]Americans Look Abroad to Save on Health
rate, and number of visitors[/url]
Care: Medical Tourism Could Jump Tenfold in Next Decade[/url]. High costs, long waits, and quality problems are cited as the reasons why
people are opting for alternatives to hospitals and doctors, such as going abroad or attending quick, basic care at clinics in drugstores. Linda
Johnson (AP), San Francisco Chronicle.
2008-08-03: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/03/BUL0120Q24.DTL"]Middle Eastern Investment in US
The Deloitte Center for Health Solution's
Declines[/url]. Foreign investment in US real estate is less than 2007, but landmark buildings remain popular investments because they are
[url="http://www.deloitte.com/dtt/cda/doc/content/us_chs_ConsumerSurveyExecutiveSummary_200208.pdf"]2008
2008-08-04:
[url="http://www.cspinet.org/new/200808041.html"]Obesity on the Kids' Menu at Top Chains[/url]. At KFC,
Survey
Taco
of Health
Bell, Care
more likely to maintain their value. J. W. Elphinstone (AP), San Francisco Chronicle.
Consumers[/url]. and other top chain restaurants, nearly every combination of children's menu items contains too many calories. Center for
Jack-in-the-Box,
Science in the Public Interest.
[url="http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/kidsmeals-report.pdf"]Center for Science in the Public Interest's Kids' Meals Report[/url]
Education; 2008-08-09: [url="http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11885366"]MBAs and the Economy: Ports in a Storm[/url].
US
[IM1:96]
Economy Many business executives develop skills in business school while waiting for a bad economy to recover. A later (8/23) letter to the editor points
out that the higher number of applicants makes for a better-quality cohort during a downturn. The Economist.
Sports
2008-08-12: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/sports/olympics/12records.html"]As Swimming Records Fall, Technology Muddies the
Water[/url]. Swimmers are breaking multiple world records in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and sports fans wonder how much technology is
Human
2008-08-13: [url="http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=117&art_id=vn20080813061050500C311598"]Shocking Statistics Predict
helping the athletes. Longman and Kolata, New York Times.
Health
US of Obesity[/url]. According to government survey data collected between the 1970's and 2004, two-thirds of Americans are overweight.
Global
2008-08-13: [url="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26062313/"]Moscow Tops Most Expensive Cup of Coffee List[/url]. A cup of coffee in Moscow
Pretoria News.
Economies costs $10.19; in Paris it is $6.77 and in Athens, $6.62. According to Mercer's cost of living survey, doing business overseas can be expensive.
Technology 2008-08-13: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/14/technology/14women.html"]Woman to Woman, Online[/url]. Internet sites targeting
Zack O'Malley Greenburg, Forbes.
female audiences grew 35% last year, faster than any other category other than politics. Clair Cain Miller, New York Times.
Population 2008-08-14: [url="http://wsj.net/article/SB121867492705539109.html"]Whites to Lose Majority Status in US by 2042[/url].
[IM1:89]Over the next 40 years, the white population will get older and go into decline, while minorities will become a majority of the population.
These population rates are driven by immigration and lower birth rates. Conor Dougherty, Wall Street Journal.
61
Population 2008-08-14: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/14/washington/14census.html"]A Generation Away, Minorities May Be the Majority[/url]
[IM1:80]
62
US
Economy
63
Global
2008-08-15: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121875570585042551.html"]America the Uncompetitive[/url].
Economies [IM1:85]The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)'s newly released study ranks American corporate tax as the
highest in the world behind only Japan. At 39.3%, American corporate taxes are 50% higher than our average non-American competitors. Wall
Human
Street Journal.
2008-08-15:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121876145236142929.html"]Obesity Study Looks Thin[/url].
Health
[IM1:86]Wall Street Journal's "Number Guy" responds to previous headlines warning that every person in the US will be overweight by 2048.
Author examines the study methodology and statistics and concludes that "Employing that same logic, 13 out of every 10 adult Americans by
US
then won't have
2008-08-15:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/15/business/15sell.html"]Home
landlines." Carl Bialik, Wall Street Journal.
Equity Frenzy Was a Bank Ad Come True[/url]. Bank
Economy advertising encouraging consumers to take out second mortgages on homes could have driven Americans deeper into debt. As a result, equity
Energy - 2008-08-15: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/14/BUP412B774.DTL"]PG&E Plans Big Investment in Solar
in homes dropped, and total mortgage debt rose. Louise Story, New York Times.
Alternative Power[/url].
[IM1:95]
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. announced plans to buy 800 megawatts of solar power from two Bay Area companies, enough to power 239,000
homes. Ilana DeBare, San Francisco Chronicle.
US
2008-08-15: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/15/BUMV12B8HS.DTL"]Confidence of Bay Area Business Leaders
Economy Slips; Firms Shrink Their Staffs[/url]. According to a quarterly business confidence survey by the Bay Area Council, 26 % of businesses plan to
US
2008-08-16: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/16/business/worldbusiness/16charts.html"]Over There, US Goods Ride a Weak-Dollar
shrink their workforce, compared to 20% who plan to hire. Sam Zukerman, San Francisco Chronicle.
Economy Wave[/url].
[IM1:77]A weaker dollar and rising prices for food sent overseas pushed American exports to the highest rate of increase since 1998. Floyd
Human
Norris, New York
2008-08-17:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/us/17methadone.html"]Methadone
Times.
Rises as a Painkiller with Big Risks[/url].
Health
[IM1:78]Traditionally prescribed as addiction therapy for heroin, methadone is now often given as a pain medication. However, increasing
numbers of deaths have brought higher risks. Eckholm and Pierce, New York Times
Education 2008-08-18: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121901768826748219.html"]Denver Teachers Object to Changes in Pay-for-Performance
Plan[/url].
[IM1:81]
Although the Denver Public Schools have had a commended pay-for-performance plan for the past three years, the teacher's union is objecting
to proposed changes that would hold down salaries of veteran teachers in order to focus on funding performance pay for early- and midcareer
Energy - 2008-08-19: [url="http://www.earthpolicy.org/Updates/2008/Update74.htm"]World Geothermal Power Generation Nearing Eruption[/url].
teachers. Stephanie Simon, Wall Street Journal.
Alternative [IM1:76]
Rising fuel prices are forcing countries to seek alternative energies, and geothermal energy is one option gaining greater popularity.
Projections place 2010 production at almost double current levels because of new technologies. Jonathan G. Dorn, Earth Policy Institute.
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US
Economy
73
Human
Health
US
Housing
Market
US
Housing
Defense
Market
74
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76
2008-08-14: [url="http://www.wsj.com/article/SB121865515167837815.html"]Greenspan Sees Bottom in Housing, Criticizes Bailout[/url].
[IM1:82]Alan Greenspan predicts that a decline in houses for sale will stabilize falling prices. David Wessel, Wall Street Journal.
2008-08-19: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/19/BUD912DC23.DTL"]Bay Area Startups' Value Up, Survey
Says[/url].
[DG:2008]Mountain View law firm Fenwick & West's survey of 108 Bay Area startups found that 68% increased valuations: "VCs are holding
their own, but[url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/08/19/MNCQ12D7PU.DTL"]College
2008-08-19:
they are not flourishing." Contrasts the Fenwick study with University of San Francisco entrepreneurship
Presidents
Professor
Urge Drinking-Age
Mark
Cannice's recent
Debate[/url].
The survey
Amethyst
of venture
Initiativecapitalists'
is asking college
confidence.
presidents
Tom Abate,
to ask San
lawmakers
Francisco
to lower
Chronicle.
the drinking
Compare
agedata
fromfrom
21 to18
the in hopes that it will
2008-08-20: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/19/BUG312E80O.DTL"]Twice as many in state can now afford a
[url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2008"]Fenwick
stop
binge drinking on campuses. Others disagree, saying that lowering the &drinking
West survey
age would
of venture
increase
financings[/url]
deaths. Justin
(%Pope
of Bay
(AP),
AreaSan
startups
home[/URL].
receiving increased,
Francisco
Chronicle. decreased, and flat venture capital funding) and the
[DG:2013]About twice as many Californians can afford homes compared with the number of Californians that could afford homes one year ago.
[url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=1995"]Cannice venture capitalist index[/url] in Data360.
2008-08-20: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/20/MNPK12DR3G.DTL"]Foreclosures Drive Down Home
Prices[/URL]. Foreclosed properties accounted for one third of all existing home sales in the San Francisco bay area in July 2008. One year
2008-08-22: [url="http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB121937062173162545.html"]Iraqi Army's Rise Boosted Chances for US
ago, foreclosed properties accounted for only 4.2% of all existing home sales in the San Francisco bay area.
Withdrawal[/url].
[IM1:93]
Several new attributes of the Iraqi forces have helped to bring a US withdrawal deal closer, including increased number of Iraqi security forces,
greater assertiveness in the Iraqi solders, and greater Iraqi military independence. Yochi J. Dreazen, Wall Street Journal.
2008-08-22: [url="http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB121937062173162545.html"]Iraqi Army's Rise Boosted Chances for US
Withdrawal[/url].
[IM1:94]
Also see the decrease in morality rate in this additional graph. Yochi J. Dreazen, Wall Street Journal.
77
Defense
78
Other
79
Education 2008-08-24: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/business/24loans.html"]That Student Loan, So Hard to Shake[/url].
[IM1:92]
Student loans are increasing steeply, and some people find themselves trapped by debt. The organization Student Loan Justice challenges
2008-08-22: [url="http://www.turnaround.org/"]Turnaround Management Association[/url]
[IM1:90]Turnaround Management Association's membership grows even as the economy declines.
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Education 2008-08-24: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/education/24evolution.html"]In Classroom, a Teacher on the Front Line as Faith and
Science Clash[/url].
[IM1:91]
School districts are increasingly establishing standards requiring teachers to introduce concepts of evolution in classrooms. "Biological
evolution" is the rise, but "human evolution," which is the application of evolution to humans as well as other living creatures, is not as prevalent
Human
2008-08-25 [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/26/health/research/26stat.html"]Teenagers Changing Sexual Behavior[/url].
and has not grown significantly. Amy Harmon, New York Times.
Health
[IM1:109]
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teenagers today are less likely to be sexually active, and if they are, more likely
to use a condom, than teens in 1991. Nicholas Bakalar, New York Times.
US
Economy
2008-08-25: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/26/business/economy/26income.html"]Average US Income in 2006 Showed First Rise over
2000[/url].
[IM1:110]
In contrast to the current recession, analysis of IRS data showed that 2006 was the first year that Americans' average adjusted gross income
equaled that of 2000. David Cay Johnston, New York Times.
Environment2008-08-26: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/26/BAQM12F24T.DTL"]Ocean Creatures Finally Get Welcome Dose
of Nutrients[/url].
[IM1:112]
The Chronicle's science editor described how California's coasts are finally getting colder water, bringing upwellings of krill and other
nutrient-rich food sources. However, this abundance follows three years of paucity, and scientists are not sure if this particular positive cycle
US
2008-08-26: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/26/BUFC12IIEE.DTL"]Record Drops in US Home Prices
will continue. David Perlman, San Francisco Chronicle.
Economy Continue[/url].
[IM1:98]
Although the S&P / Case-Shiller US National Home Price Index fell during the second quarter, the rate of decline slowed in June, which could
indicate the coming of better times. Carolyn Said, San Francisco Chronicle.
Human
2008-08-27: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/27/washington/27census.html"]A Decline in Uninsured Is Reported for 2007[/url]
Health
[im1:177]According to the US Census Bureau, the number of uninsured dropped slightly in 2007 following six years of increase, mainly
because of government-sponsored health-care programs, especially for children. Graphic depicts that Massachusetts has the lowest uninsured
US
rate at 7.9%,[url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/26/BAPU12IP12.DTL"]Median
2008-08-27:
while Texas has the highest at 24.8%. Ian Urbina, New York Times.
Income Slips in California[/url].
Economy According to newly released US Census data, California contains pockets of wealth and poverty but overall has seen a drop in median income
Human
2008-08-27: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/27/MN5312IMSI.DTL"]New TV Attack Ad Goes After American Hot
(American income rose moderately, in comparison). Tyche Hendricks, San Francisco Chronicle.
Health
Dog[/url]. The frightening news is that "For an American adult, eating one hot dog daily for several years would increase the average risk of
Human
2008-08-28: [url="http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12009974"]The Price of Being Well[/url].
getting colorectal cancer, which is 5.8 percent, to 7 percent;" but the bottom line is that eating a hot dog once in a while probably will not harm
Health
[IM1:105]
you. Lindsey Tanner (AP), San Francisco Chronicle. [url="http://www.hot-dog.org/ht/d/sp/i/38567/pid/38567"] Consumption Statistics from the
The World Health Organization (WHO)'s report on inequality and health points out how issues such as socioeconomic status can affect life
National Hot Dog & Sausage Council [/url]
expectancy by many years. The most atrocious example compares the wealthy Lenzie section of Glasgow (UK), with a life expectancy of 81
years, to the impoverished Calton section of Glasgow, only a few miles away, with a life expectancy of 54 years. The Economist.
Human
2008-08-28: [url="http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12009974"]The Price of Being Well[/url].
Health
[IM1:106]
One of the factors that the WHO's report examines linking low socioeconomic status with poor health is that the stress of job insecurity has a
proven link with poor mental health. The Economist.
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Energy Oil
91
Education 2008-08-29: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121997547720682181.html"]Long Division: The Debate Over the Value of Preschool[/url].
[IM1:99]
The journal Science reports English researchers' findings that a high-quality preschool can have positive effects on math, reading, and social
skills, that can last for several years. Gautam Naik, Wall Street Journal.
92
Defense
93
US
2008-08-30: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/business/31count.html?ref=business"]Keeping an Eye on the Low Point of the Pay
Economy Scale[/url].
(Headline) [DG:762]The history of the minimum wage. Amazing that 50 years ago, the minimum wage slightly higher than today's minimum wage in
Technology 2008-08-30:
constant dollar
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/technology/31novel.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss"]Lines
terms. Phyllis Korkii, New York Times.
and Bubbles and Bars: New
Ways to Sift Data[/url].
[IM1:102]
This graphic shows how often each name occurs in the New Testament. Developed by the Watson Research Center of IBM, the website
[url="http://www.many-eyes.com/"]www.many-eyes.com[/url] allows users to upload data, utilize graphing tools to visualize and manipulate
94
2008-08-28: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/29/business/29norris.html"]Sense and Reality on Energy[/url].
[IM1:100]
President Gerald Ford and his energy adviser Frank Zarb had a series of energy plans addressing the 1975 oil crisis that may still be useful to
the politicians of today. Floyd Norris, New York Times.
2008-08-30: [url="http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12010407"]To Stay or Not To Stay[/url].
[IM1:104]
As the number of fatalities of European soldiers in Afghanistan rises, the popularity of the war is falling. France is still reeling from the loss of
ten soldiers in an ambush on August 18, the worst death toll in a single attack in a quarter century. The Economist.
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Technology 2008-08-30: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/technology/31novel.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss"]Lines and Bubbles and Bars: New
(Headline) Ways to Sift Data[/url]. This graphic displays information about Olympic medals in a new way. Developed by the Watson Research Center of
IBM, the website [url="http://www.many-eyes.com/"]www.many-eyes.com[/url]
[IM1:101]
This program allows users to upload data, utilize graphing tools to visualize and manipulate results, and comment on each others' work. Anne
US
2008-08-30: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/weekinreview/31uchitelle.html"]Hey, Big Number, Make Room for the Rest of Us[/url].
Eisenberg, New York Times.
Economy [DG:353]
This article questions the wide use of GDP to measure not only the strength of the American economy, but also many other dimensions of
well-being, for which the GDP may not be fit. How else, the article asks, to explain why Americans are feeling so terrible, as the GDP rises?
The article then examines other measures as well. Louis Uchitelle, New York Times.
Also see Data360's [url="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=149"]GDP Graph Group[/url]
97
US
Economy
Global
Economies
2008-08-31: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/31/BURQ12K9B8.DTL"]US Labor Unions Making Gains -Slowly[/url]. A report from teh UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment shows that the percentage of US workers in unions is
2008-09-03: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/04/business/worldbusiness/04coke.html"]Coke Bids for Chinese Juice Giant[/url].
growing, though slowly. This is happening specifically because of membership gains in California. George Raine, San Francisco Chronicle.
[IM1:111]
[url="http://www.irle.ucla.edu/research/unionmembership.html"] See image and report from Institute for Research on Labor and Employment
The Coca-Cola company will pay $2.5B for Chinese juice company in an effort to expand out of soft drinks. Graph illustrates the top ten
[/url]
investments in China. David Barboza, New York Times.
Human
Health
2008-09-04: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122047307457096289.html"]Medtronic Product Linked to Surgery Problems[/url].
[IM1:116]
Medtronic's "Infuse Bone Graft" product has been linked to several life-threatening complications, including swelling of the neck and throat,
especially when doctors use it in ways that are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Armstrong and Burton, Wall Street Journal.
100
US
Economy
2008-09-04: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122048621675397153.html"]McCain, Bush and the Dollar[/url].
[IM1:108]
The "Misery Index" records the sum of the inflation rate and the unemployment rate, and often correlates the popularity of a president. The
"misery spike" of 2008 is not due to the unemployment rate, but instead to levels of inflation at the highest since 1990 (11.3%).
101
Technology 2008-09-04: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122048683362597215.html"]Gap Widens in Online Advertising[/url].
[IM1:117]
The gap between the number of advertisements bought for simple ads as part of a search (called "search ads" in chart), versus more complex
picture or flash ads, is widening. Advertisers prefer simpler ads. Jessica Vascellaro, Wall Street Journal.
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Religion
103
Environment2008-09-04: [url="http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12070722"]The Road Ahead[/url].
[IM1:124]
Rising gas prices mean that car companies are competing to make greener and more efficient cars. The article cites the European Federation
for Transportattion & Environment (T&E)'s August
[url="http://www.transportenvironment.org/News/2008/8/BMW-leaps-ahead-on-new-car-CO2-emissions-others-still-stalling/"]release[/url]
Global
2008-09-04: [url="http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12052315"]Reserve Army of Underemployed[/url].
stating that BMW is this year's leader in reducing CO2 emissions in its cars. The Economist.
Economies [IM1:126]
China has a huge population and thus a huge supply of cheap workers, but the one-child policy implemented in 1979 is shrinking those
numbers. The Economist predicts fewer workers and higher wages in China's future. The Economist.
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104
2008-09-04: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122048949193697463.html"]Improbable Houses of Worship[/url].
[IM1:118]
In the predominately Muslim country of Indonesia, wealthy Christian minority leaders have resorted to the new strategy of building huge
megachurches as testaments to their faith. Tom Wright, Wall Street Journal
105
Global
2008-09-04: [url="http://www.economist.com/world/europe/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12052710"]Cold Comfort[/url].
Economies [IM1:122]
Article examines a central reason for the EU's mild response to the Russian war in Georgia: gas dependency. The Economist.
106
Philanthropy2008-09-04: [url="http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12068298"]Managing the Right of Return[/url].
[IM1:123]
The United Nation's High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cared for 31.7 million displaced refugees at the end of 2007, and sometimes
repatriation is complex. The Economist.
107
Global
2008-09-04: [url="http://www.economist.com/world/mideast-africa/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12052687"]Savings and Souls[/url].
Economies [IM1:125]
Islamic investors have a great amount of cash, but need investments that align with their religious values. 'Sukuk' is an Islamic bond made for
this purpose. The Economist.
108
US
Economy
109
Public
Opinion
110
Environment2008-09-08: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122086963777909755.html"]Hurricane Ike Tears Across Cuba[/url]. After killing 321 in Haiti,
View statistics about youth civic engagement by state and party in this
Hurricane Ike traveled across Cuba, causing 900 thousand to evacuate. Associated Press, Wall Street Journal. WSJ's interactive
Education, 2008-09-08:
[url="http://www.data360.org/pdf/20080908094719.08-09-06%20Rock%20Vote%20young_voter_primary_08.pdf"]Rock
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/06/opinion/06blow.html"]Let's Talk About Sex[/url].
the Vote
[url="http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-CG808_mappro_NS_20080908111104.jpg"]Storm Map[/url] gives up-to-date information
Human
publication[/url], or the [url="http://www.data360.org/pdf/20080908094639.08-09-06%20CIRCLE%20Youth_04.pdf"]CIRCLE's Census Data
[IM1:107]
about Ike's path.
Health
Overview[/url]
Op-ed
columnist
andCharles
[url="http://www.data360.org/pdf/20080908094555.08-09-06%20CIRCLE%20Fact%20Sheet_08.pdf"]Youth
Blow discusses how US teen sexual activity is not very high in comparison to other countries, but birthVote
and in
abortion
2008
Primaries
rates
are the
andhighest
Caucuses
in the
Fact
OECD.
Sheet[/url].
Blow suggests that, in America, blame lies with abstinence education and American hesitance to talk about
sex and pregnancy prevention. Charles Blow, New York Times.
US
2008-09-08: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/business/economy/09econ.html"]Consumer Borrowing Slows in July to 2.1% Pace[/url].
Economy [IM1:136]Consumer borrowing grew in July 2008 was at 2.1%, the lowest pace since last December. Auto loans slowed because of low
automobile sales growth rates (the lowest in 16 years) were the primary reason. Associated Press, New York Times.
Sports
2008-09-08: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/sports/tennis/09men.html"]A Familiar Federer in a Familiar Pose[/url].
[IM1:131]
Roger Federer defeated Andy Murray to win his 13th Grand Slam title. Karen Crouse, New York Times.
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112
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115
2008-09-04: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/04/us/politics/04alaska.html"]The Unusual Challenges of Governing Alaska[/url].
[IM1:113]
The press around Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin also puts the focus on the state she governs, Alaska, whose GDP per
capita, state spending per person, and budget surplus (from federal spending and oil) are higher than just about any other state. Kirk Johnson,
New York Times.
2008-09-06: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/06/DDGC12O9EA.DTL"]Michael Moore's 'Slacker Uprising'[/url].
Moore will release his new documentary about young voters for free online in an effort to increase voter participation in November. Youth civic
engagement for voters under 25 years of age jumped 11% between 2000 and 2004, and continues to rise. Data from the
[url="http://www.civicyouth.org/"]Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE)[/url].
Environment2008-09-08: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/08/EDTK12OSFV.DTL"]Grow More Food and Take Less Water from
the Delta[/url]. Visit the [url="http://www.pacinst.org"]Pacific Institute's[/url] website to view data. According to two senior research associates at
Energy -- 2008-09-09: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122090819257011743.html"]Cutting Tech's Energy Bill[/url].
the Pacific Institute, changes in California agricultural practices can save about 13% more water. Agriculture accounts for 80% of California
Electricity [IM1:129]
water use. Cooly and Christian-Smith, San Francisco Chronicle.
Rising electricity costs and computer servers that require more energy result in higher energy bills for many companies. IBM and HP see in
this trend as an opportunity for a market: more efficient computers. William Bulkeley, Wall Street Journal.
116
US
Economy
2008-09-09: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122091910239912651.html"]As Buyout Bust Turns Bitter, A Major Deal Lands in Court[/url].
[IM1:128]
Although leaving a merger pact is usually taboo, in the current depressed economy many private-equity companies have seen their future
acquisitions lose value. As a result, many prominent companies have backed out of deals. Pulliam and Lattman, Wall Street Journal.
117
US
Economy
2008-09-09: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122092171137612965.html"]For Fliers, Cuts in Service Bring a Little Relief[/url].
[IM1:127]
The depressed economy is forcing airlines to cut flying schedules, which is reducing the number of flights available to customers, but improving
dependability overall. Scott McCartney, Wall Street Journal.
118
US Federal 2008-09-09: [url="http://www.data360.org/uploaded_images/20080911171256.08-09-09%20WSJ%20Tech%20Energy.gif"]Bailout Hits US
Deficit/Surplus
Agenda[/url].
(Headline) [DG:52]Although the bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac was supposed to reassure financial markets, it also added more to the already
huge $500 billion projected 2009 federal debt. Hitt and Timiraos, Wall Street Journal.
119
120
121
122
Data360's [url="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=31"]Federal Government Surplus/Deficit[/url] Graph Group.
Environment2008-09-09: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/science/09inva.html"]Research Suggests Exotic Species May Aid Diversity[/url]
[im1:172]A study by professors at Brown University and UC Santa Barbara states that the inclusion of foreign species of plants in an island
environment can sometimes actually increase diversity, not reduce it. Carl Zimmer, New York Times.
US
2008-09-09: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/09/MNCS12Q74O.DTL"]Takeover Might Not Aid Home Values[/url].
Economy [IM1:114]
The Chronicle predicts that the government's seizure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac might ease confidence levels and home loan rates, but
will probably not stop the high numbers of foreclosures. James Temple, San Francisco Chronicle.
Legal
2008-09-09: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/09/MNT012GOPI.DTL"]Same-Sex Marriage Vote Could Tip Balance
in Presidential Race[/url].
[IM1:115]
The November vote that decides the President of the United States will also ask voters to approve constitutional amendments banning
same-sex marriage in three key states: California, Arizona, and Florida. John Wildermuth, San Francisco Chronicle.
Retail; US 2008-09-10: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/realestate/commercial/10mall.html"]A Squeeze on Retailers Leaves Holes at Malls[/url]
Economy [im1:173]New strip malls are opening only partially occupied. Graphic depicts how retail vacancy rates in new opening centers are higher this
year than they have been in the past. These vacancies tend to be highest in the South and Midwest. Terry Pristin, New York Times.
123
Education 2008-09-10: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/10/BABL12QPF9.DTL"]Half of SF Kindergartners Not Ready for
School[/url]. According to a report released by Applied Survey Research, half of incoming kindergartners are not well prepared to learn, and
11% are also not socially prepared for school (this is the category of the highest risk). However, preschool was a common trait among children
ready to learn, even for students with other characteristics often correlated with being at-risk. Jill Tucker, San Francisco Chronicle.
124
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Economy;
Energy Oil
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136
137
138
139
2008-09-10: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/10/BUEI12R41P.DTL"]At Last, Good Economic News: Gas Prices
[url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/10/BABL12QPF9.DTL"]Half of SF Kindergartners Not Ready for School[/url]. The
are Falling in State[/url].
SF Chronicle's list of statistics on incoming San Francisco kindergartners, including the 24 skills associated with success, and a breakdown of
[IM1:133]
percentages of characteristics.
Gas prices are finally falling, and will continue this trend because of the slump in the market for crude oil. David Baker, San Francisco
Chronicle.
Inequality 2008-09-12: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122117698819025845.html"]Vote Republican If You Want Equal Pay[/url].
[IM1:144]
Although the Democratic nominees Barack Obama and Joe Biden say that they favor equal pay for women, and claim that the Republicans do
not, historic labor market data from the Census Bureau shows that essentially all of the labor-market progress for women has occurred during
Republican administrations. Casey Mulligan, Wall Street Journal.
Environment2008-09-12: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/12/MNS412SGBC.DTL"]Bart Looks at Higher Fares for Peak
Hours[/url].
[IM1:134]
Bart is so popular during peak hours that officials are considering raising prices to distribute riders more equally. High gas prices, concern for
greenhouse gasses, and crowded freeways are creating this demand. Rachel Gordon, San Francisco Chronicle.
Public
2008-09-16 [url="http://www.intrade.com/jsp/intrade/misc/charts/"]2008 US Elections[/url].
Opinion
[IM1:http://www.intrade.com/images/generated/intrade/pres_election.png][url="http://www.intrade.com"]Intrade.com[/url] allows investors to risk
(Headline) real money speculating on the probability of common events, such as the outcome of a political election. Graph displays presidential election
Population 2008-09-18:
predictions, updated
[url="http://www.minnpost.com/from_our_partners/2008/09/16/3512/umn_news_mining_the_census_data"]Mining
instantly.
the Census
Data[/url]. University of Minnesota professor Steven Ruggles is the mastermind behind the [url="http://www.ipums.umn.edu/"]Integrated Public
Global
2008-09-18: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/14/business/economy/14nationalize.html"]Asia Rethinks America: Market Upheavals Fuel
Use Microdata Series (IPUMS)[/url], the largest accessible database of records of the human population in the world. The MinnPost.
Economies Wariness of Investors, Both Large and Small[/url]
[im1:183]Investments in US dollar-denominated securities are on the decline. Keith Bradsher, New York Times.
US
2008-09-19: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/19/business/economy/19data.html"]Economic Forecast Finds Few Signs of
Economy Improvement[/url]
[im1:186]The Conference Board's index of 10 economic indicators predicts a continuing decline in the economy. Associated Press, New York
Global
Times. - headline
2008-09-19:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/19/world/asia/19afghan.html"]War
and Drought Threaten Afghan Food Supply[/url]
Economies [im1:187]A drought led to loss of wheat crops, which could create hunger in Afghanistan. Aid officials caution that increased poverty and
hunger could push people into more crime or insurgency. Carlotta Gall, New York Times. -- headline -Public
2008-09-19: [url="http://www.politico.com/convention/swingstate.html"]Politico's Swing State Map[/url]
Opinion
[IM1:137]Map features up-to-date information on swing states and current status of electoral votes.
US
2008-09-22: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/23/MNCN132R7P.DTL"]43% in state speak other than English at
Population home[/url]
[im1:191]More than 40% of California's population speak another language than English at home, compared with about 20% nationally. Tyche
Environment2
Hendricks,
008-09-23:San
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/23/science/23islands.html"]After
Francisco Chronicle. - headline Hurricane Ike, Finding the Coastline Rearranged,
Again[/url]
[im1:188]The Chandeleur Islands are in the Gulf of Mexico, east of New Orleans and south of Mississippi. Katrina in 2005 and Ike in 2008
US
significantly decreased
2008-09-27:
[url="http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12306060"]A
their land area. -- headline -Fate Worse Than Debt[/url]
Economy [IM1:145]Deleveraging occurs when financial institutions sell off assets in order to stave off debt; but this rapid selling lowers the price of the
assets and thus starts a downwards cycle that is difficult to stop. The Economist.
Human
2008-09-27: [url="http://www.economist.com/specialreports/displayStory.cfm?story_id=12237163"]The Odd Couple[/url].
Health
[IM1:146]North and South Korea may share a peninsula but they are very different. Despite the relative economic success of South Korea in
comparison to its northern neighbor, the country suffers from low fertility rates and a declining population. This could affect its economy in the
Sports
future, as the[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/29/sports/football/29jets.html"]Favre
2008-09-29:
declining population will bring down its high savings rate, and therefore also
in its
Vintage
investments
Form as
and
Jets
taxRout
revenue.
Cardinals[/url]
The Economist.
[im1:184]For football fans, Brett Favre's astonishing six touchdown passes in the Jets vs Cardinals NFL game. Greg Bishop, New York Times.
-- headline -US
2008-09-30: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122269141590585467.html"]CITI, US Rescue Wachovia[/url]
Economy [IM1:152]
Graph displays total asset size of major banks after acquisitions. [TP: Note that the Citigroup tab is wrong. Wells acquired Wachovia.] Enrich
and Karnitschnig, New York Times.
US
Economy
2008-09-30a: [url="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aV62_cIZzrM4&refer=home"]US Heading for Slump, With or
Without Bail[/url] Part 3.
[DG:2020]
The high unemployment rates and declining house prices are causing flat consumer spending, which may trigger a recession. Rich Miller,
Bloomberg.com
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
US
Economy
2008-09-30b: [url="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aV62_cIZzrM4&refer=home"]US Heading for Slump, With or
Without Bail[/url] Part 2.
[DG:1952]In addition to the unemployment rates mentioned above, Bloomberg also cites declining home prices as another factor causing flat
US
consumer spending.
2008-09-30c:
[url="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aV62_cIZzrM4&refer=home"]US
Rich Miller, Bloomberg.com
Heading for Slump, With or
Economy Without Bail[/url] Part 1.
[DG:248]Bloomberg cites the new release of September's high unemployment rates as one cause for low consumer spending. Rich Miller,
Global
Bloomberg.com
2008-10-01:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122280129299491349.html"]Central Banks Step Up Globally[/url].
Economies [IM1:151]
Graph displays ratio between libor and fed funds rate. {TP: I believe this is called the "TED spread."} Perry and Redding, Wall Street Journal.
Environment2008-10-01: [url="http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Help_green_products_grow_2231"]Helping 'green' products grow[/url].
[dg:2025]From [url="http://www.data360.org/pdf/20081029174901.08-10-29%20McKinley%20Green%20Perception.pdf"]McKinsey's October
2008 Quarterly[/url]. Rank numbers indicate actual effectiveness of certain actions towards reducing global warming. Blue bars indicated
Venture
perceived effectiveness.
2008-10-01:
[url="http://www.slideshare.net/pricew/introduction-to-venture-capital?type=powerpoint"]Introduction
Point: we don't perceive that insulating our homes and eating less beef will do more to reduce
to Venture
global
Capital[/url].
warming than
Capital
driving less, recycling or turning down our thermostats. [url="http://www.mckinsey.com/"]McKinsey & Company[/url].
Excellent introduction to raising money from venture capitalists. Will Price of [url="http://www.hummerwinblad.com"]Hummer Winblad Venture
Partners[/url]'s 2007 presentation for EE 203, the Entrepreneurial Engineer, Stanford University. Posted 2007-03-06 on
[url="http://www.slideshare.net/pricew/introduction-to-venture-capital?type=powerpoint"]SlideShare[/url]
<object style="margin:0px" width="425" height="355"><param name="movie"
value="http://static.slideshare.net/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=introduction-to-venture-capital-9229&stripped_title=introduction-to-venture-capital"
California 2008-10-02: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/02/MNIB139OIQ.DTL"]Governor sets record for vetoing bills[/url]
/><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><embed
Government[im1:192]Graphic shows historic governor veto rates. Schwarzenegger's 35% bill veto rate this year is higher than any other. Matthew Yi, San
src="http://static.slideshare.net/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=introduction-to-venture-capital-9229&stripped_title=introduction-to-venture-capital"
Francisco Chronicle.
type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
US
2008-10-02: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/02/MNNE139P37.DTL"]Putting bailout spending in perspective[/url]
Government[im1:193]Graph displays the $2.56 trillion federal government spending in 2007 and how it is spent, for comparison to the $700 billion bailout.
Budget
Tom Abate, San Francisco Chronicle.
US
2008-10-03: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/03/business/03sec.html"]Agency's '04 Rule Let Banks Pile Up New Debt, and Risk[/url].
Economy [im2:153]The SEC's 2004 decision to allow the five biggest US investment banking firms to borrow more money to invest. Following this
decision, the firms' debt-to-assets ration rose rapidly, contributing to the high risk endangering them today. Graph displays leverage ratios of
major investment banks before and after 2004 change by SEC. Stephen Labaton, New York Times.
See the New York Times' [url="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/09/28/business/20080928-SEC-multimedia/index.html"]animated slide
show[/url] for[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/03/business/03swap.html"]Short-Selling
2008-10-03:
visuals.
on States Can Pay Off[/url]
[IM1:147]
Graph displays cost of credit default swaps, which would insure against default on $10 million of municipal bonds for five years against default.
[TP: Can anyone tell me exactly what the axis is on each graph? I.e. What is the exact cost of the insurance?] Mary Williams Walsh, New
York Times.
2008-10-06: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/07/health/research/07sids.html"]Fan in Room Seems to Cut Infants' Risk of Death[/url].
Tara Parker-Pope, New York Times.
2008-10-07: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122333797880409755.html"]Angst is Rising, But Many Must Forgo Therapy[/url]
[IM1:150]
Graphic displays relationship between unemployment rate and suicide rate. Elizabeth Bernstein, New York Times.
148
US
Economy
149
150
Human
Health
Human
Health
151
Defense
2008-10-08: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/09/world/asia/09afghan.html"]US Study is Said to Warn of Crisis in Afghanistan[/url]
[IM1:149] Graphic displaying US costs of defense in Afghanistan and Iraq. Mazzetti and Schmitt, New York Times.
152
US
Economy
(Headline)
US
Economy
2008-10-09: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122346026975114825.html"]Yes, Dow's Record Was Year Ago Today[/url]
[im1:154]First graphic depicts comparative size of sums of wealth such as the US GDP, US national debt, China GDP, proposed rescue
program, and Bill Gate's wealth. [Tom P: I don't understand why they don't compare the value of all the financial derivatives to our GDP. See
our post "2008-10-09:
2008-10-09:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122355427239518855.html"]Central
Taking a Hard Look at the Greenspan Legacy". Derivatives appear
Banks
to Launch
be a $531
Coordinated
TRILLIONAttack[/url]
market. That makes our
GDP and the $700 billion
[im1:156]Responding
to the
bailout
expansion
a gnat.of From
the American
NYT: "And
credit
Warren
crisisE.
to Buffett
the world
presciently
stage, many
observed
international
five years
central
ago that
banks
derivatives
cut interest
were
rates, with
???financial
the
US at theweapons
lowest 1.5%
of mass
rate.destruction,
Hilsenrath, Perry,
carrying
and
dangers
Reddy,that,
Newwhile
Yorknow
Times.
latent, are potentially lethal.???"] Second graphic depicts
year-long DOW
2008-10-09:
[url="http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_42/b4104054847273.htm"]The
market value trend. McKay and Lauricella, New York Times.
New Age of Frugality[/url]
[im1:161]Graphic depicts how both personal consumption and household debt have risen, 1990-2008. Steve Hamm, Business Week.
153
154
155
US
Economy
(Headline)
US
2008-10-09: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/09/business/09markets.html"]For Dow, Final Swing Was Down[/url]
Economy [im1:155]Graphic uses rectangular area to depict the relative sizes of each major market sector and largest company in each, in 2007 and in
2008. The broad amount of area labeled "Lost" in the 2008 depiction gives a greater sense of how much the market fell. Grynbaum and
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
US
2008-10-09: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/09/business/economy/09greenspan.html"]Taking a Hard Look at the Greenspan
Economy Legacy[/url]
(Headline) [IM1:148] Graphic puts derivatives and credit default swaps into perspective. {Tom P: Note that the derivative market is $531 TRILLION and
Environment2
the
008-10-09:
recent bailout
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/09/us/09water.html"]On
is $0.7 TRILLION. That makes the bailout 0.13% of the total
Parched
derivatives
Farms,
market.}
Using Intuition
Peter Goodman,
to Find Water[/url]
New York Times.
[im1:157]Graphic shows California drought conditions at the end of September. Farmers are in need of water, giving increased business to well
drillers and drowsers. Jesse McKinley, New York Times.
Defense
2008-10-09: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/09/world/asia/09afghan.html"]US Study Is Said to Warn of Crisis in Afghanistan[/url]
[im1:174]Graphic compares US Department of Defense budget for Iraq to budget for Afghanistan, 2001 to projected 2009. Mazzetti and
Schmitt, New York Times.
Education 2008-10-10: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/10/education/10math.html"]Math Skills Suffer in US, Study Finds[/url]. The American
Mathmatical Society's [url="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/national/10math_report.pdf"] study [/url] of suggests that American
Crime
2008-10-10: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/10/nyregion/10crime.html"]Keeping a Wary Eye on Crime as Economy Sinks[/url]
culture does not value talents in math, and thus discourages girls and boys with high potential from pursuing excellence in the field. Sara
[IM1:140]
Rimer, New York Times.
Graph showing relationship between crime rate, unemployment rate and number of police offers. Difficult economic times in the past have
been indicators of higher crime rates, especially in New York City. Hauser and Baker, NYT.
Global
Economies
(Headline)
US Stock
Market
(Headline)
Also see the New York Time's [url="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/10/11/business/20081011_BEAR_MARKETS.html"]Bear Market
Graphic[/url] to compare this market to other historical ones.
Education 2008-10-13: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/education/13child.html"]Under 'No Child' Law, Even Solid Schools Falter[/url].
(Headline) [IM1:139] Each state has been allowed to set its own timetable to meet The No Child Left Behind law, which requires 100% proficiency by
2014. Graphs show both Colorado and California's plans, as well as map of US showing state performance. Sam Dillon, NYT.
Human
2008-10-13: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/14/us/politics/14money.html"]Drug Industry, Having Long Smiled on GOP, Now Splits
Health
Donations Equally[/url]
[im1:181]Graphic shows how pharmaceutical donations to political action committees have become more evenly balanced between democrats
US
and republicans. Robert Pear, New York Times.
2008-10-13:
Housing
[url="http://www.socketsite.com/archives/2008/10/socketsites_san_francisco_listed_housing_inventory_upda_25.html"]SocketSite's San
Market
Francisco Listed Housing Update, 10/13/08[/url]
Global
[im1:164]For [url="http://www.econbrowser.com/archives/2008/10/the_global_rece.html"]The
2008-10-14:
those of you following San Francisco real estate, a very cool website and a graphic
Global
which
Recession[/url]
depicts active listed inventory of San
Economies; [im1:163]Research
Francisco single family
economist
homes,Prakash
condos,Loungani's
and TIC's. 2008
graphic
inventory
depicts is
2008
currently
falling16.8%
housing
higher
prices
than
in many
it wasadvanced
at this point
economies,
in 2007. SocketSite.
with the United
US
States seeing less losses than 8 other countries, and Denmark suffering the most. [url="http://www.econbrowser.com"]Econbrowser[/url].
Housing
US
2008-10-14: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/14/business/economy/14commodities.html"]Commodity Prices Tumble[/url]
Market
Economy
[im1:179]Graphs follow long term prices of crude oil, corn and copper. Clifford Krauss, New York Times.
168
Public
Opinion
169
Human
Health
170
US
Economy
171
Public
Opinion
172
Public
Opinion
US
Housing
Market
US
Economy
173
174
2008-10-11: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/11/business/worldbusiness/11charts.html"]The World's Banks Could Prove Too Big to Fail
-- or to Rescue[/url]
[IM1:141]Graphic shows several countries' bank liabilities in proportion to both national debt and GDP. Partly explains Iceland's problems.
Floyd Norris,[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/business/12stox.html"]Those
2008-10-11:
New York Times.
With a Sense of History May Find It's Time to Invest[/url]
[IM1:142] Graph displaying long-term history of PE ratio of the S&P 500. [TP: additional drop seems possible. 1975-1986 saw lower PE's
than today.] Alex Berenson, New York Times.
2008-10-14: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/14/business/economy/14regulate.html"]Both Sides of the Aisle See More Regulation, and
Not Just of Banks[/url]
[im1:182]Graphic shows how spending on regulation has increased significantly under Bush. Jackie Calmes, New York Times.
2008-10-14: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/14/health/14vacc.html"]Worrisome Infection Eludes a Leading Children's Vaccine[/url]
[im1:178]A strain of strep bacteria causing meningitis and pneumonia in children can survive almost all antibiotics and leading vaccinations.
Graphic shows rates of strep bacteria infection, in general, have dropped dramatically since the leading vaccination was introduced in 2000,
but one particular
2008-10-14:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/15/business/economy/15leonhardt.html"]Next
strain of strep bacteria is rising. Laura Beil, New York Times.
Victim of the Economic Turmoil May Be Your
Salary[/url]
[im1:175]Graphic suggest median household income is headed for decline. David Leonhardt, New York Times.
2008-10-14: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/10/14/opinion/20081014_OPCHART.html"]Bulls, Bears, Donkeys and
Elephants[/url]
[im1:180]Op-Ed piece posits that investors have been better off under Democratic Presidents. Tommy McCall, New York Times.
2008-10-14: The [url="http://wiscadproject.wisc.edu/index.php"]University of Wisconsin's Advertising Project[/url] contains data about the
number and types of advertisements political candidates use in elections. See their recent press release indicating that 100% of recent McCain
2008-10-15: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122402709018134389.html"]No Quick Fix for Housing Prices: Economists Press for New
ads were negative compared to 34% of Obama's.
Programs for Homeowners to Stem Downward Spiral[/url]
[im1:204]Graphic shows communities where first-mortgage delinquency rates and reduction in home prices are both large. Simon and
Corkery, Wall[url="http://www.econbrowser.com/archives/2008/10/some_encouragin.html"]Some
2008-10-15:
Street Journal.
Encouraging Developments[/url] from
Econbrowser and [url="http://marketpipeline.blogspot.com/2008/10/what-is-graham-pe-telling-us.html"]What is the Graham P/E Telling Us?[/url]
from MarketPipeline
175
US
Economy
2008-10-15: [url="http://www.sequoiacap.com"]Sequoia Capital[/url]'s
[url="http://www.slideshare.net/eldon/sequoia-capital-on-startups-and-the-economic-downturn-presentation?type=powerpoint"]RIP Good
Times[/url].
Some smart people we know have been sharing Sequoia Capital's (prominent VC firm) recent slide show about how to survive a downturn,
posted on [url="http://www.slideshare.net"]SlideShare[/url].
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
<param name="movie"
Environment2008-10-15a: [url="http://www.ewg.org/book/export/html/27010"]Bottled Water Quality Investigation: 10 Major Brands, 38 Pollutants[/url] and
value="http://static.slideshare.net/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=sequoia-1223625495238287-9&stripped_title=sequoia-capital-on-startups-and-the-economic-downturn-presentation"
[url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/15/MNGV13H0L4.DTL"]Some Bottled Water Toxicity Shown to Exceed Law[/url]
/><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><embed
[im1:159]The [url="http://www.ewg.org/"]Environmental Working Group[/url]'s study of bottled water found chemical contaminates in every
src="http://static.slideshare.net/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=sequoia-1223625495238287-9&stripped_title=sequoia-capital-on-startups-and-the-economic-downturn-presentation"
US
bottled water[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122405354171135847.html"]Airlines
2008-10-16:
brand tested, with Walmart and Giant brand bottled water containing contaminates
Start to Make
above
Climb[/url]
California's legal levels. Environmental
type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
Economy [im1:166]If
Working Group
you are
andwondering
Jane Kay, why
San your
Francisco
airlineChronice.
ticket prices are rising, one answer is the increasing price of airline fuel. Prices in 2008 are over
50% higher than 2007. Paulo Prada, Wall Street Journal.
US
2008-10-16: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122410960865638189.html"]Deposits Flow to Healthier Banks[/url]
Economy [im1:169]Graphic shows how customers are voting with their dollars for the banks that have remained strong throughout the credit crisis. These
banks are seeing a positive growth in bank deposits. Fitzpatrick, Sidel, and Hilsenrath, Wall Street Journal.
Global
2008-10-16: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122411508399938601.html"]Climate Effort Could Be Stalled by Credit Crisis[/url]
Economies; [im1:167]Graphic displays rising CO2 levels. Power and Abboud, Wall Street Journal.
Global
Climate
Religion
2008-10-16: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122411562348138619.html"]Religions-Bias Filings Up[/url]
[im1:165]Graphic displays rise in charges of religious descrimination in the workplace. A dispute at meatpacking plants in Colorado and
Nevada over whether a company can be asked to alter employees' work shifts to accomodate religious prayer schedules brings attention to
US
this issue. {Could
2008-10-16:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/16/business/economy/16housing.html"]Home
we have more religious employees today than in the past?} Phred Dvorak, WallPrices
StreetSeem
Journal.
Far From Bottom[/url]
Housing
[im1:176]One measure of home price value is the ratio of home prices to rental costs. According to this measure, homes in Miami and Chicago
are still far above the average ratio for the past 20 years, which is home prices at 15 times rent (first graphic). Second graph compares the
US
timeline of the
2008-10-16:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/17/business/17bank.html"]Banks
1990 Los Angeles housing bubble peak and trough in order to predict the
Are timeline
Likely toofHold
this Tight
cycle's
to trough.
Bailout Vikas
Money[/url]
Bajaj, New York
Economy [im1:196]Graphic
Times.
shows how the difference between banks that acquired others and banks that were the acquisitions is the earnings versus
the write-downs and losses. Compare Bank of America's ratio to Merrill Lynch, its acquisition. Story and Dash, New York Times
Public
2008-10-16: [url="http://www.reason.com/news/show/34643.html"]Who Can Win in 2004? Just Use This Freshness Test[/url] (Publish date
Opinion
2003-10-17)
(Headline) [dg:2021]From Bill G: This article is five years old, but is very prescient. It claims that no candidate (other than LBJ) has been elected
US
president who
2008-10-17:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122418052416641331.html"]Oil's
took more than 14 years to climb from his first major elective office (governorship,
Slide DeepensCongress,
as Downturn
or the
Triggers
mayoralty
Sharp
of Drop
a big in
city) to
Economy Demand
election as
[/url]
either president or vice president. Data360's graph includes 2008 presidential contenders Barack Obama and John McCain for
comparison. Jonathan
[im1:205]Graph
comparing
Rauch,
oil prices
ReasonOnline.
to US GDP from 1970 to the present depicts how slowing economies bring down oil prices. Neil King Jr,
Technology;2008-10-17:
Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/17/us/politics/17innovate.html"]Rivals??????? Visions Differ on Unleashing Innovation[/url]
US Trade [im1:197]Graphic depicts high-tech imports and exports, which were surplus until 2000, became balanced for a couple years, and then
Balance
increasingly became deficit. Broad and Dean, New York Times.
Public
2008-10-19: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/20/business/20predict.html"]Trading Variance in Election Predictions Raises Questions[/url]
Opinion
[im1:194][url="http://www.intrade.com"]Intrade.com[/url] and other trading sites allow users to bet money on the outcome of well-known
occurrences such as the upcoming election. This structure is supposed to allow market forces to predict the outcome of events, but the smaller
US
size of these[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122445525957248373.html"]Volatility
2008-10-20
betting site markets can also leave them vulnerable to manipulation. Noam
Requires
Cohen,New
NewStrategies:
York Times.
Individuals Redeeming Mutual
Economy Funds Have Helped to Choke Off Rallies[/url]
[im1:203]Graphic depicts the wide spread of the DOW's prices, not only within a week, but also within a single day. Tom Lauricella, Wall Street
Public
Journal.
2008-10-20:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122441294251948009.html"]Obama Takes in a Record $150 Million, But McCain Narrows
Opinion
Gap in Some Polls[/url]
[im1:201]Graphic compares president candidate total receipts in presidential elections to previous campaigns. Obama in 2008 has raised
Environment2
nearly
008-10-20:
twice as
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122445473939348323.html"]Pollution
much as the previous record, Bush in 2004. Cooper and Meckler, Wall Street
Credits
Journal.
Let Dumps Double Dip: Landfills Find New
Revenue in Trading System Meant to Curb Greenhouse Emissions[/url]
[im1:200]Graphic depicts the strong growth of the carbon market. Garbage dumps that collect and sell methane gas from the rotting trash also
Global
get carbon credits
2008-10-20:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122445498532148351.html"]China
for this action, which they can then sell to other companies. JeffreytoBall,
Create
WallMarket
Streetfor
Journal.
Land Rights In Effort to Boost
Economies Farmers' Prosperity [/url]
[im1:199]China's agricultural structure of small, family-owned farms is not producing enough grain to keep up with demand. Thus, the
Global
government is
2008-10-20:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122445522571948319.html"]Hungary
considering a program to switch to larger-scale operations. Andrew Batson,
Defends
Wall Street
Its Finances:
Journal.As Critics See the Next Potential
Economies Iceland, Central Bank Official Sees 'Scaremongers'[/url]
[im1:198]After the collapse of Iceland's finances, other countries are looking at the severity of their debt. Graphic shows debt breakdown for
US
some Eastern[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122445891509348563.html"]Michigan
2008-10-20:
European countries. Marcus Walker, Wall Street Journal.
Sweats GM-Chrysler Talks: Thousands of Jobs Are
Unemployment
Vulnerable in a State Already Battered by Industry Layoffs, Home Foreclosures[/url]
[im1:202]Graphic depicts increasing numbers of job losses in the motor-vehicle and parts sector. Matthew Dolan, Wall Street Journal.
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
Public
Opinion;
Human
Health
Global
Economies
2008-10-20: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/20/us/politics/20health.html"]Many Holes in Disclosure of Nominees??????? Health [/url]
[im1:195]US presidential candidates have had varying histories of health and have chosen to disclose varying amounts of information during
their campaign. Graphic displays health information about candidates from Nixon and McGovern in 1972 to McCain and Obama in 2008.
Lawrence Altman,
2008-10-21:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122447844849849567.html"]China
New York Times.
Slows, World Feels the Pain: U.S. Government Weighs
Stimulus; Chinese Economy Cools Faster as Exports Soften[/url]
[im1:210]The Wall Street Journal's article on the third quarter release of China's GDP data also includes China's % of world GDP in
Energy - 2008-10-21:
comparison to
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122454080529651813.html"]OPEC
to the US, Europe, and Japan. Batson and Johnson, Wall Street Journal.
Expected to Cut Output In Bid to Prop Up Oil Prices[/url]
Oil; Global [im1:211]The Wall Street Journal predicts that the recent fall in oil prices will cause OPEC to cut its oil output quota, based upon historic
Economies actions taken by the organization. King and Swartz, Wall Street Journal.
Public
2008-10-21: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122454768040352279.html"]Use of Refundable Tax Credits Has Grown in Recent Years [/url]
Opinion
[im1:212]Grapic compares projected tax credits under current legislation to projected tax credit under Obama's proposed plans. Nick Timiraos,
Wall Street Journal.
Education 2008-10-21: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122455013168452477.html"]The High School Dropout's Economic Ripple Effect: Mayors Go
Door to Door, Personally Encouraging Students to Stay in the Game for Their Own Good -- and for the Sake of the City[/url]
[im1:213]Graphic depicts cities with the highest and lowest graduation rates in the 50 largest US cities. One study cites that only 50% of the
US
US's high school
2008-10-21:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/21/business/economy/21econ.html"]Leading
students are graduating, and in Detroit, which has the lowest rate on the list, theIndicators
graduation
Rose
rateinisSeptember[/url]
25%. California's San Jose
Economy [im1:206]The
and San Francisco
September
both appear
measurement
in the top
of five
Leading
highest
Indicators
graduation
roserates
for the
in the
firstlist
time
of in
cities.
five months.
Gary Fields,
Associated
Wall Street
Press,
Journal.
New York Times.
Global
2008-10-21: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/21/business/worldbusiness/21yuan.html"]China Plans to Bolster Its Slowing Economy[/url]
Economies [im1:209]Graphic depicts China's high growth from 2002-2008, and the current slowing to 9% GDP growth in the third quarter of this year. The
Chinese government plans to use tax and spending policies to support high levels of growth. Keith Bradsher, New York Times.
Global
2008-10-21: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/21/nyregion/21attend.html"]Report Cites Chronic Absenteeism in City Schools [/url]
Economies [im1:207]Graphic depicts breakdown of New York City high school, middle school, and elementary school student absences. According to the
report by the Center for New York City Affairs at the New School, 40% of high school students in New York City were absent for more than a
Energy - 2008-10-21:
month of school
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/21/world/21petro.html"]3
during the past school year. Jennifer Medina, New York Times.
Oil-Rich Countries Face a Reckoning [/url]
Oil; Global [im1:208]Graphic depicts the currently falling price of oil. Article examines the political impact of the falling oil prices for Venezuela, Iran, and
Economies Russia, who are three major oil-producing countries. Romero, Slackman, and Levy, New York Times.
US
2008-10-22: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122459451753753817.html"]Fed Offers More Help to Money Funds[/url]
Economy [im1:217]Graphic shows flow of funds out of commerical paper money market accounts and into government money market accounts.
Hilsenrath and Gullapalli, Wall Street Journal.
Energy - 2008-10-22: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122461947159855391.html"]Africa's Potential to Sate World's Oil Demand Dims [/url]
Oil; Global [im1:218]Graphic depicts two challenges in extracting oil from Africa: multiple controlling entities and difficult access. Peter Fritsch, Wall Street
Economies Journal.
US
2008-10-22: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122463109671256373.html"]Glory Days Fade for U.S. Farmers: Plunging Crop Prices and
Economy Higher Costs Cloud Horizon for '09 Profits and Land Sales[/url]
[im1:216]Graphic explain various US farm sector metrics. Scott Kilman, Wall Street Journal.
US
2008-10-22: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122463689465557035.html"]Network Audience Keeps Eroding: Upswing in Delayed Viewing
Housing
on DVRs Isn't Likely to Offset Prime-Time Declines[/url]
Market
[im1:215]Graphic explains California's housing market and how the housing boom, mortgage default rates, home-price declines, and
US
mortgage-backed
2008-10-22:
[url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/22/BUNK13LIS5.DTL"]Bargains
securities are linked. Article also contains an
push bay home sales, but prices
Housing
[url="http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/documents/info-CALHOME08.html"]interactive map of California[/url] depicting percentages of homes
plunge[/url]
Market
sold for loss, foreclosures,
[im1:214]Bay
Area home sales
and less
in September
than one-year
2008occupancy
were up 74.8%
for each
fromregion.
the same
Corkery
month
and
lastKarp,
year,Wall
the Street
biggestJournal.
gain in two decades, but the
US
prices were down
2008-10-23:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122469119659558689.html"]Calpers
40.3%. James Temple, San Francisco Chronicle.
Looks to Shore Up Assets: Huge Pension Fund to
Economy Demand Greater Employer Contributions Unless Returns Improve[/url]
[im1:229]Graphic depicts how the investment returns on California Public Employees' Retirement System (Calpers) has declined by just under
Energy - 2008-10-23:
5% in 2008, which
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122469952612659065.html"]Russia
may require it to seek more money from public employers. Karmin,Warms
Scheck,toRundle,
OPEC, and
but Doesn't
Levitz, Wall
Promise
Street
Cuts[/url]
Journal.
Oil; Global [im1:228]Graphic depicts Russian oil output with projections for 2008 and 2009. White and King, Wall Street Journal.
Economies
US
2008-10-23: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122470268947059267.html"]Banks Face Another Wild Card[/url]
Economy [im1:223]Graphic depicts rising credit card charge-off rates, which is a measure to watch in future. Could rise significantly in the current
financial downturn, creating losses for credit card issuers. David Reilly, Wall Street Journal.
US
2008-10-23: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122471696933660407.html"]An Obamanomics Preview: Tax and spend, but not in that
Economy order[/url]
[im1:224]Graphic follows the response of the US GDP to Bush Administration tax policies. Wall Street Journal.
Legal
2008-10-23: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122471925786760689.html"]Making Punishments Fit the Most Offensive Crimes: Societal
Revulsion at Child-Pornography Consumers Has Led to Stiff Prison Sentences -- and Caused Some Judges to Rebel[/url]
[im1:225]Graphic depicts rising numbers of both child pornography cases brought by federal prosecutors and average years of prison
sentences for convictions. Amir Efrati, Wall Street Journal.
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
US
Economy
2008-10-23: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/23/business/retirement/23SQUEEZE.html"]Working Longer as Jobs Contract [/url]
[im1:219]Declining investments often require those seeking retirement to work longer, but businesses often lay off older workers first because
they are often the highest paid. Graphic depicts rising numbers of Americans age 55 to 64 in the workforce, and breaks down percentages of
US
Americans over
2008-10-23:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/23/nyregion/23fuel.html"]Some
age 55 holding varying levels of savings and investments towards retirement.
Regret Locking
Steven
In Price
Greenhouse,
for Oil[/url]
New York Times.
Economy; [im1:221]Falling oil prices are good for most consumers, but not for people who signed contracts locking in rates for delivering home oil during
Energy - peak prices. Graphic depicts oil prices in New York City. Ken Belson, New York Times.
Oil
Sports
2008-10-23: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/23/sports/othersports/23racing.html"]No Dirt or Steroids, but 30 International Entries [/url]
[im1:220]In the Breeders' Cup World Championships, horses run on synthetic track. Graphic depicts a growing number of these tracks. Joe
Drape, New York Times.
Human
2008-10-23: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/23/MNBL13MAQV.DTL"]Rising rate of food allergies found in
Health
kids[/url]
[im1:222]About 1 in 26 children have food allergies, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which indicates
US
rates of food [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/25/business/25charts.html"]More
2008-10-25:
allergies are rising. Mike Stobbe (AP), San Francisco Chronicle.
Evidence That the Recession Has Already Arrived[/url]
Economy [im1:236]The Chicago Fed National Activity Index signals the beginning of a recession when it falls to a negative 0.7. The reading for
September 2008 was negative 2.6. Floyd Norris, New York Times.
US
2008-10-26: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/business/26jane.html"]General Motors, Driven to the Brink [/url]
Economy [im1:239]GM's suv sales peaked in 2003, but in 2008 have fallen 45 percent from last year. Vlasic and Bunkley, New York Times.
US
2008-10-26: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/26/business/26layoffs.html"]Spending Stalls and Businesses Slash U.S. Jobs [/url]
Unemployment
[im1:238]Graphic separates September's high layoff numbers by industry. The financial industry had the most. Louis Uchitelle, New York
Times.
US
2008-10-27: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122477763884262815.html"]Time to Leave the Laptop Behind[/url]
Economy [im1:231]As Smart Phones become more capable of doing the work of laptop computers, their popularity surpasses laptop purchases. Nick
Wingfield, Wall Street Journal.
Global
2008-10-27: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122505465551669955.html"]Sharp Slowdown in Asia Nears[/url]
Economies [im1:233]Asia's economic growth has depended in large part upon exports as a rising percentage of GDP, but both exports and GDP growth
are likely to decrease with the global slowdown. Patrick Barta, Wall Street Journal.
US
2008-10-27: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122506174552170247.html"]Wealth Gap Is Focus Even as It Shrinks [/url]
Economy [im1:235]Graph of share of total income accruing to the riches 1% of the US population has risen since the early 1980's, but recessions tend to
lower this disparity. Robert Frank, Wall Street Journal.
Public
2008-10-27: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122506257913570307.html"]Economy Casts Shadow Over Local Ballot Measures[/url]
Opinion
[im1:234]Graphic depicts the number of ballot initiatives proposed for each state, with California, Oregon, and Colorado voting on the most.
Searcey and Anand, Wall Street Journal.
US
2008-10-27: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122506281485770323.html"]Tech Finance Defaults Rise; More Makers Offer Loans[/url]
Economy; [im1:232]Graphic depicts how defaults on tech financings are rising, making lenders more cautious and prompting some big tech companies to
Technology grant their own loans to customers. Worthen and White, Wall Street Journal.
US
2008-10-27: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122506536068970527.html"]Job Losses Buffet U.S. Early, Compounding the Downturn[/url]
Unemployment
[im1:230]Graphic depicts approximately ten-year cycles of long-term unemployed. The last peak was seven years ago in September 2001. Kris
Maher, Wall Street Journal.
US
2008-10-27: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122506536068970527.html"]Job Losses Buffet U.S. Early, Compounding the Downturn[/url]
Unemployment
[im1:271]Mass layoffs and labor underutilization (total unemployed workers) spiked in September. Kris Maher, Wall Street Journal.
Sports
2008-10-27: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/sports/othersports/27wami.html"]Marathoner Gete Wami Looks to Rebound in New York
Race[/url]
[im1:237]Graphic shows how running marathons in New York City is expensive and rising. Liz Robbins, New York Times.
Inequality 2008-10-27: [url="http://www.swivel.com/graphs/show/30207390"]Children living below the poverty line[/url]
Graph shows the percentage of children living below the poverty line since 1959. Out of 73 million children living in the United States, almost
18% are living in families facing poverty. For a family of four, the poverty line is at $21,200 annual income. Natalie, Swivel.com.
228
<a href="http://www.swivel.com/graphs/show/30207390"><img alt="Children living below the poverty line"
src="http://www.swivel.com/graphs/image/30235254" style="border: solid 1px #rgb(0.6,0.6,0.6);" title="Click to play with this data at Swivel"
/></a>
Technology 2008-10-28: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122332198757908625.html"]Microsoft Battles Low-Cost Rival for Africa[/url]
[im1:245]According to the graphic, only 22.6 million out of 742 million people in Africa (3%) use the internet. Steve Stecklow, Wall Street
Journal.
229
230
231
US
Economy
2008-10-28: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122514803617173825.html"]Shakeout Threatens to Thin Out Web-Ad Brokers[/url]
[im1:240]Graphic shows the top 10 online-ad network and the number of visitors. Lower spending could force businesses to cut spending on
ads; and the spending that remains will probably go to the largest web-ad companies. Emily Steel, Wall Street Journal.
Global
2008-10-28: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122515009213974167.html"]New Indian Middle Class Gets Caught In the Whirlwind of
Economies Revolving Credit[/url]
[im1:242]America is not the only country with rising amounts of consumer debt. Graphic depicts rising debt in India as well. Eric Bellman, Wall
Defense
Street Journal.
2008-10-28:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122515034714574183.html"]Will Obama Gut Defense?[/url]
Spending [im1:241]Wall Street Journal graphic depicts annual defense spending as percentage of GDP, 1940-2009 (estimate).
[dg:539]Data360's Defense Spending US Annual graph depicts US defense spending with and without GDP adjustments. Bret Stephens, Wall
Street Journal.
232
233
234
235
236
237
US Politics 2008-10-28: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122515447324574523.html"]Bush Aide Fleischer Courts Jewish Vote for McCain[/url]
[im1:243]Graphic depicts how Jewish Americans have voted primarily democratic in past presidential elections, but the McCain campaign is
hoping to court their vote. Joel Millman, Wall Street Journal.
US Politics 2008-10-28: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122515651921374669.html"]Provisional Ballots Get Uneven Treatment[/url]
[im1:244]Graphic depicts how provisional ballots are more or less likely to be counted depending upon the state. Evan Perez, Wall Street
Journal.
US
2008-10-28: [url="http://www.conference-board.org/economics/ConsumerConfidence.cfm"]The Conference Board Consumer Confidence
Economy Index????? Plummets to an All-Time Low[/url]
[dg:2030]The Consumer Confidence Index (TM) is a combination of consumer's perception of the current economy (the Present Situation
Global
Index) and expectations
2008-10-28:
[url="http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12465372"]The
for the economy in the next six months (the Expectations Index), basedincredible
on a survey
shrinking
of 5,000
funds[/url]
households. The Index
Economies [im1:246]Hedge
stood at 38 in October
funds have
(1985=100),
fallen huge
pulled
amounts,
down bywith
an "convertible
Expectation arbitrage"
Index of 35.5.
funds,
The
which
Conference
tries to exploit
Board Press
price anomalies
Release. among corporate
bonds, falling 46%. The Economist.
Global
2008-10-28: [url="http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12480828"]Pain all round, please[/url]
Economies; [im1:248]Graphic displays how the United States has the highest Gini coefficent, indicating the most income inequality, as well as one of the
Inequality highest correlations between fathers' and sons' earnings in the OECD. The Economist.
Education 2008-10-28: [url="http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12480838"]What next?[/url]
[im1:247]Graphic depicts how British applicants for teacher training closely correlates with unemployment. The Economist.
238
US
Economy
239
Energy Oil
2008-10-29: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122522104062976913.html"]Stocks Take Big Leap as Investors Await Fed[/url]
[im1:253]Graphic compares Fed's rate cuts under Bernanke versus Greenspan. View Data360's graph of
[url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=41"]Effective Federal Funds Rates[/url] since 1955. Jon Hilsenrath, Wall Street
Journal.
2008-10-29:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122523334615277739.html"]Oil's Slide Threatens Future Supply [/url]
[im1:251]Graphic compares July's oil price peak to 1990's peak, raising the concern that the slump in oil prices will deter new investments in
oil. Guy Chazan, Wall Street Journal.
240
US
Economy
241
US
2008-10-29: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122524069463078447.html"]Absent From This Downturn: Worker-Investor Dichotomy[/url]
Economy; [im1:250]In most recessions, when unemployment is low, markets tend to be higher because of lag time -- unemployment causes default.
US
Graphic depicts how in this recession, market slowdown and higher unemployment is occurring at the same time because consumer default
Unemployment
Environment
happened
2
008-10-29:
before
[url="http://services.alphaworks.ibm.com/manyeyes/view/SLinXQsOtha6kGZWbisqQ2~"]Number
the rise in unemployment, creating a self-reinforcing negative cycle. Mark Gongloff, Wall Street
of Acid
Journal.
Rain Program Coal-Fired
Power Plants by State (2007)[/url]
242
2008-10-29: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122523567391377913.html"]Economists Search for End of Woes [/url]
[im1:252]Graphic depicts several economic indicators from 2006 to the present. Lahart and Evans, Wall Street Journal.
Graphic displays number of coal-fired power plants under programs to reduce acid rain. None of these are in California. NRSanten,
[url="http://services.alphaworks.ibm.com/manyeyes/app"]ManyEyes[/url]
243
US
Economy
<script type="text/javascript"
src="http://services.alphaworks.ibm.com/manyeyes/api/v1/snapshot/89ade5ae1c8f3b97011cdb8ba78a54b0.js?width=400&height=350"></script>
2008-10-29: [url="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=1237"]S&P 500 PE vs. Implied 10-yr Treasury PE[/url]
[dg:2026]Thanks to Peter C. for recommending this two-chart analysis of the S&P 500 PE ratio and the implied 10 year treasury PE, which is
calculated by dividing the 10 yr treasury rate by 1.
[dg:2022]This chart shows the ratio of the S&P500 PE to Treasury PE. Numbers indicate the % by which people will pay more or less for S&P
earnings versus treasury interest dollars. Point is that S&P 500 PE's are attractive. Earnings have come down for S&P500, but prices have
come down even more. It's time to buy. Tom Paper, Data360
244
245
246
247
248
249
US
2008-10-29: [url="http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003875230"]Tally Of Newspaper
Government;
Endorsements -- Obama Widens Lead[/url]
Public
[dg:2023]According to the data, Kerry only had eight more newspapers endorsing him over Bush in 2004's campaign. In 2008, 129 more
Opinion
US
newspapers [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/business/29credit.html"]Consumers
2008-10-29:
endorse Obama over McCain. Mitchell and Hill, Editor & Publisher Journal. Feel the Next Crisis: It???????s Credit Cards[/url]
Economy [im1:256]Borrower defaults on credit card payments are pushing lender losses higher, reducing the number of credit card offers. Eric Dash,
New York Times.
Human
2008-10-29: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/dining/29calories.html"]Calories Do Count[/url]
Health
[im1:257]NYT article about the revived trend of calorie counting. More New Yorkers are making decisions to eat or not eat things after New
York enacted a law requiring restaurants of a certain size to post calories associated with foods. {Tom P: No chart here, but I'm
Sports
COMPLETELY
2008-10-29:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/sports/othersports/29run.html"]Big
CONVINCED that more people will act in a positive direction when they understand,
Marathons,atAlready
the point
Packed,
of choice,
Maythe
Stillimpact
Grow[/url]
of their
choice. This trend,
[im1:254]Graphic
depicts
of datathe
directly
growth
impacting
of the five
behavior,
biggest marathons.
will grow in many
Organizers
different
arefields
concerned
including:
that energy
streets usage
have reached their capacity and
([url="http://www.luciddesigngroup.com"]www.luciddesigngroup.com[/url])
cannot
support the rising number of runners. Juliet Macur, New York Times.
and community indicators
US
([url="http://www.communityindicators.net/indicatorefforts.html"]www.communityindicators.net/indicatorefforts.html[/url]).}
2008-10-29:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/us/29judges.html"]Appeals Courts Pushed to Right by Bush Choices[/url]
Kim Severson, New
Government;
York Times.
[im1:255]Graphic
depicts the number of judges that President Bush appointed to the federal Court of Appeals during his term in office. Charlie
US Politics Savage, New York Times.
US
2008-10-29: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/29/BUVS13PIBO.DTL"]Home prices still falling amid gloomy
Housing
forecast[/url]
Market
[im1:249]Graphic depicts falling home prices nationwide.
250
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254
US
Economy;
Retail
Global
Economies
2008-10-30: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122527994591679805.html"]Grocers Find Food Prices Hard to Swallow[/url]
[im1:262]Graphic depicts a 7.6% rise in US retail grocery-store food prices. Grocers would like food companies, who reported profit increases,
to lower prices. {Tom P: There is competing theory that we are headed for stagflation. See
[url="http://www.forbes.com/home/2008/10/29/stagnation-recession-deflation-oped-cx_nr_1030roubini.html"]Nouriel
2008-10-30:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122528052625279807.html"]China Trims Key Rate Again As FearsRoubini,
of Slowdown
aka Dr.
Mount [/url]
Doom[/url].} Jargon
[im1:263]Graphic
depicts
and Rohwedder,
China's rising
Wall
corpoarte
Street Journal.
net income. Growth in 2008 is not as great as growth in 2007. Batson and Carew, Wall Street
Journal.
US
2008-10-30: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122528340048979949.html"]Fed Steps Up Assault on Slump[/url]
Economy [dg:2028]Graph compares mortgage rates and the Fed's interest-rate cuts. Despite central banks' efforts, mortgage rates are not lowering, and
the spread between mortgage rates and Federal-funds rate target is widening. Historically, however, this spread is cyclical -- view a
US
comparison of
2008-10-30:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122528340048979949.html"]Fed
these rates since 1971 in the [url="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=1238"]Spread
Steps Up Assault on Slump[/url]
Between
Economy [im1:265]Graphic
Effective Federal Funds
compares
Ratemortgage
and 30-Year
ratesMortgage
and the Fed's
Rates[/url]
interest-rate
Data360
cuts.
Graph
Despite
Group.Hilsenrath,
central banks'Perry,
efforts,and
mortgate
Pappaport,
ratesWall
are not
Street
lowering,
Journal.
and the spread between mortgage rates and Federal-funds rate target is widening. Hilsenrath, Perry, and Pappaport, Wall Street Journal.
Education 2008-10-30: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122529488260780477.html"]Increases in Tuition at Colleges Slow, for Now [/url]
[im1:259]Graphic breaks down undergraduate college expenses for the 2008-2009 school year. Robert Tomsho, Wall Street Journal.
255
US
Economy
256
Energy Oil
257
US
Economy
258
US GDP;
US
Economy
Travel; US
Economy
259
2008-10-30: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122531116666881351.html"]Trouble Is Brewing for Pension Plans [/url]
[im1:260]Graphic displays the spread of varying levels of pension plans invested in equities in the S&P 500 companies. When equities fall,
pension plan earnings also fall, especially when pension-plan assets are highly invested in equities. David Reilly, Wall Street Journal.
2008-10-30: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122531663876381697.html"]Chevron Project Offers Glimpse Of Future: More Work, Less
Oil[/url]
[im1:264]Graphic depicts the rising cost of drilling for oil. Russell Gold, Wall Street Journal.
2008-10-30: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122532460983082329.html"]Securities-Lending Sector Feels Credit-Crisis Squeeze[/url]
[im1:261]Graphic depicts a fall in the number of short-selling positions. Not surprising. Karmin and Scism, Wall Street Journal.
2008-10-30: [url="http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/national/gdp/gdpnewsrelease.htm"]GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT: THIRD QUARTER
2008[/url]
[dg:274]The US Department of Commerce released 2008 Quarter 3 GDP data today. Graph shows how real GDP growth has slowed by 0.3%.
Bureau of Economic
2008-10-30:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/business/30runways.html"]Airports
Analysis, US Department of Commerce.
Grow Apace, but the Timing Seems Off[/url]
[im1:268]Graphic depicts the growth or decrease in annual scheduled passengers for each airport looking to expand. Micheline Maynard, New
York Times.
2008-10-30: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/business/economy/30econ.html"]Durable-Goods Orders Rose in September [/url]
[im1:266]Graphic depicts continued low durable goods orders. Michael Grynbaum, New York Times.
260
US
Economy
261
Education 2008-10-30: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/education/30college.html"]Downturn Expected to Drive Tuition Up [/url]
[im1:258]College tuition is rising faster than the Consumer Price Index, and student aid and loans are also rising to cover the costs. Tamar
Lewin, New York Times.
Education 2008-10-30: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/nyregion/30gifted.html"]New York's Gifted-Student Programs Become Smaller and Less
Diverse[/url]
[im1:267]Graphic breaks down the racial makeup of students in all city schools versus those in gifted programs. Gootman and Gebeloff, New
Human
York Times. [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/us/30insure.html"]Women Buying Health Policies Pay a Penalty[/url]
2008-10-30:
Health
[im1:269]Graphic depicts monthly premiums for some individual health insurance policies. The disparity between premiums paid by women
versus men widens as people age. Robert Pear, New York Times.
Defense
2008-10-30: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/world/middleeast/30iraq.html"]Iraqis Insist on Changes to Long-Delayed Security Pact
Spending With U.S. [/url]
[im1:270]Although Iraq has windfall revenue from high oil prices, regional political conflicts prevent the country from spending it effectively.
US
Dagher and Fairfield,
2008-10-31:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122540927284586151.html"]Securities
New York Times.
Firms Tackle Pay Issue[/url]
Economy [im1:273]Graphic compares Wall Street bonuses in times of high and low net income for companies. Smith, Lucchetti, and Craig, Wall Street
Journal.
Global
2008-10-31: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122541134902486329.html"]China's Habit on Savings Offers a Lesson [/url]
Economies [im1:272]When China's economy went into recessions in early 1990 and 2000, Chinese personal savings as percent of income rose. Mark
Gongloff, Wall Street Journal.
US
2008-10-31: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/01/business/01chart.html"]A Monthlong Walk on the Wildest Side of the Stock Market [/url]
Economy [im1:283]Graphic compares the volatility of October 2008 to the 1929-33 Great Depression and the 1987 crash. Floyd Norris, New York Times.
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
Sustainability;
2008-10-31: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/01/business/01organic.html"]Budgets Squeezed, Some Families Bypass Organics[/url]
Human
[im1:284]Graphic depicts how growth in organic products sales has dropped drastically in 2008. Andrew Martin, New York Times.
Health; US
Economy
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
US Politics 2008-10-31: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/magazine/02wwln-lede-t.html"]House Divided?[/url]
[im1:289]Striking visual representation of how much control each party has historically held over the executive and legislative branches of
government. Matt Bai, New York Times.
US
2008-11-01: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122547596549288517.html"]Bernanke Says the U.S. Needs to Maintain a Role in Mortgage
Economy; Securities[/url]
Retail
[im1:277]Graphic depicts a drop in spending, especially in durable and non-durable goods. Sudeep Reddy, Wall Street Journal.
US
2008-11-01: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122549927797489907.html"]Economy Heightens Debate Over Bill to Ease Union
Economy Organizing[/url]
[im1:276]Graphic depicts declining percentage of workforce in a union. Article describes the Employee Free Choice Act, which McCain
US Politics 2008-11-01:
opposes and[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/01/opinion/01blow.html"]October
Obama supports. Kris Maher, Wall Street Journal.
Demise[/url]
[im1:285]Graphic compares the spreads of poll predictions to the actual election results for campaigns 1980 to the present. Since 1980 there
have been two upsets: Reagan defeated Carter in 1980, and Bush defeated Gore in 2000. Charles Blow, New York Times.
Sports
2008-11-01: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/sports/playmagazine/112rd.html"]Could This Offense Revolutionize Football?[/url]
[im1:287]California Bay Area's Piedmont High School's inventive new offense pattern. Josh Levin, New York Times.
Global
2008-11-02: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122548668478489057.html"]Stocks Look Cheap World-Wide[/url]
Economies [im1:274]Graphic displays global stock valuations from 1970 to 2008, where today's levels have not been seen since the early 1980's. Joanna
Slater, Wall Street Journal.
Global
2008-11-02: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122550242731990093.html"]For Asia, Crisis Takes a Different Turn: Not as Deep as '97, but
Economies Likely Longer[/url]
[im1:275]Graphic compares percentage of short-term debt to reserves in Asia in the 1997's versus 2008 estimated numbers. current
US Politics 2008-11-02:
percentage of[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/education/edlife/cuomo.html"]Lessons
debt is lower. Barta and Stein, Wall Street Journal.
on an Election[/url]
[im1:292]Graphic depicts growing numbers of young people under 30 joining the Democratic party. Clyde Haberman, New York Times.
US
Economy;
US Politics
US Politics
279
US
Economy
280
Travel;
Energy Alternative
US
Economy
281
282
US Politics
283
US Politics
284
US Politics
285
US Politics
286
US
Economy
287
US
Housing
Market; US
Economy
2008-11-03: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122566263352891383.html"]In the Shadow of FDR and Reagan[/url]
[im1:280]Where will stocks go after this election? Franklin D. Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan were the last presidents to take office during a
time of economic turmoil. Graphic compares the movement of the stock market before and after inauguration. Annelena Lobb, Wall Street
Journal.
2008-11-03:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122566905307991593.html"]Campaigns Are Where the Real 'Change' Will Take Place [/url]
[im1:281]The greatest percentage of campaign funding for both Obama (49%) and McCain (33%) has come from small donations (under
$200). Gerald Seib, Wall Street Journal.
2008-11-03: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122567568827192069.html"]For IPOs, History Is No Guide [/url]
[im1:279]Graph depicts the number of IPO's immediately before and after the 1996, 2000, and 2004 elections. In the current election, there are
no IPO's to report. Lynn Cowan, Wall Street Journal.
2008-11-03: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122567665704692107.html"]Hybrid Economics: How Far Does Buck Go? [/url]
[im1:278]Graphic displays the growing number of US hybrid vehicle sales. Article breaks down the financial costs and benefits of a hybrid
vehicle. Liam Denning, Wall Street Journal.
2008-11-03: S&P Index from 1825 to 2008
[im1:288]Graphic from Yale University depicts how the S&P 500 has not had such low rates of returns since 1931. Graph recommended by
Whitney Tilson's blog. [url="http://www.value-square.be/indexEN.html"]Value Square[/url].
2008-11-04: Great map from Daily Kos and PoliticalBase. US President race
<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="292" width="450"
data="http://scoreboard.dailykos.com/map/electionEmbed.swf?autoPlayOn=1&mapMode=President&mapView=election&colorScheme=manualSolid&currentElectionYear=2008&predictionString=2,2,2,2,1,1,1,
name="movie"
2008-11-04:
US Governor races
value="http://scoreboard.dailykos.com/map/electionEmbed.swf?autoPlayOn=1&mapMode=President&mapView=election&colorScheme=manualSolid&currentElectionYear=2008&predictionString=2,2,2,2,1,1,1
<object
type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="292" width="450"
/></object>
data="http://scoreboard.dailykos.com/map/electionEmbed.swf?autoPlayOn=1&mapMode=Governor&mapView=election&colorScheme=manualSolid&currentElectionYear=2008&predictionString=2,2,2,2,1,1,1,
name="movie"
2008-11-04:
US House races
value="http://scoreboard.dailykos.com/map/electionEmbed.swf?autoPlayOn=1&mapMode=Governor&mapView=election&colorScheme=manualSolid&currentElectionYear=2008&predictionString=2,2,2,2,1,1,1
<object
type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="292" width="450"
/></object>
data="http://scoreboard.dailykos.com/map/electionEmbed.swf?autoPlayOn=1&mapMode=House&mapView=election&colorScheme=manualSolid&currentElectionYear=2008&predictionString=2,2,2,2,1,1,1,1,1
name="movie"
2008-11-04:
US Senate races
value="http://scoreboard.dailykos.com/map/electionEmbed.swf?autoPlayOn=1&mapMode=House&mapView=election&colorScheme=manualSolid&currentElectionYear=2008&predictionString=2,2,2,2,1,1,1,1,
<object
type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="292" width="450"
/></object>
data="http://scoreboard.dailykos.com/map/electionEmbed.swf?autoPlayOn=1&mapMode=Senate&mapView=election&colorScheme=manualSolid&currentElectionYear=2008&predictionString=2,2,2,2,1,1,1,1,
name="movie"
2008-11-04:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122572473446893257.html"]Bank Clampdown Dogs Economy[/url]
value="http://scoreboard.dailykos.com/map/electionEmbed.swf?autoPlayOn=1&mapMode=Senate&mapView=election&colorScheme=manualSolid&currentElectionYear=2008&predictionString=2,2,2,2,1,1,1,1
[im1:301]Credit
is definitely tightening: Almost 100% of US banks are tightening credit standards on loans to businesses. Overall
/></object>
manufacturing
activity is significantly down. Kelly Evans, Wall Street Journal.
2008-11-04: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122574424419794189.html"]NuStar Energy's Crumbling Road to Riches[/url]
[im1:297]Graphic depicts the Freedonia Group's forecast of rising asphalt demand in the future. Liam Denning, Wall Street Journal.
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289
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291
292
293
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295
296
297
298
299
300
301
US
Economy
2008-11-04: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122575609098795075.html"]SBA-Backed Loans Dry Up at Crucial Time for Businesses[/url]
[im1:298]The Small Business Association backs loans for entrepreneurs, but in recent months, SBA lending has fallen. Spors, Flandez, and
Dvorak, Wall Street Journal.
Retail; US 2008-11-04: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122575617614495083.html"]Luxury Consumers Scrimp for Sake Of Planet, and Because It's
Economy; Cheaper[/url]
Environment[im1:299]High income earners DO consider a company's environmental practices while making decisions. Jennifer Saranow, Wall Street
US
Journal.
2008-11-04:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122575838410095279.html"]New Economic Ills Will Force Winner's Hand[/url]
Economy; [im1:300]The Wall Street Journal's projections for GDP, US budget, and unemployment assuming the next president enacts a stimulus
US
package. Interesting how unemployment is expected to reach to 8 to 9% from current 6% level. Davis, Weisman, and Aeppel, Wall Street
Government2008-11-04:
US
Journal.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/04/business/04auto.html"]Automakers Report Grim October Sales[/url]
Economy; [im1:291]US auto sales for October 2008 have been the worst October sales for 25 years. Vlasic and Bunkley, New York Times.
Retail
US Politics 2008-11-04: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/04/MNI913T8UI.DTL"]Record 13.6 million expected to vote in
state[/url]
[im1:290]Graphic depicts predictions for the highest voter turnout since 1976. Early and mail ballot voting are a large percentage of these
US
voters. John [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122584256627998999.html"]Dollar
2008-11-05:
Wildermuth, San Francisco Chronicle.
Still Could Buck Downhill Trek[/url]
Economy [im1:295]US Dollar has rebounded. Graphic depicts the IntercontinentalExchange's US dollar index, which tracks the dollar against major
foreign currencies. Mark Gongloff, Wall Street Journal.
Global
2008-11-05: [url="http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12510859"]Putting the air back in[/url]
Economies [im1:293]Graphic depicts compares how ten-year government bonds have fared in the last year in different countries. Interest rates down in all
countries, by the most in the US. The Economist.
Global
2008-11-05: [url="http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12510859"]Putting the air back in[/url]
economies [im1:294]Graphic compares government debt as percent of GDP of ten countries. Japan leads and the US is seventh. The Economist.
Energy Oil
2008-11-05: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/business/05ethanol.html"]Economy Shifts, and the Ethanol Industry Reels[/url]
[im1:296]The wholesale price of ethanol in 2008 ranged from nearly $3 the summer to a recent low of about $1.60. Kate Galbraith, New York
Times.
US
2008-11-06: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122591965987102467.html"]New Debt Could Hamstring Obama[/url]
Government;
[im1:308]Graphic shows rising US public debt amount and % of GDP, including 2008-09 forecasts by Morgan Stanley. Jon Hilsenrath, Wall
US Federal Street Journal.
Debt
US
2008-11-06: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122593106687803281.html"]Medicare, Medicaid Deficits Loom Over Health Priorities[/url]
Economy [im1:305]Medicare spending by the federal government is on the rise. Also view Data360's
[url="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=870"]Medicare and Social Security Graph Group[/url] for a long-term view.
US
Jane Zhang, [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122593119748703275.html"]Product
2008-11-06:
Wall Street Journal.
Safety Gets Overhaul as Imports Keep Coming In[/url]
Economy; [im1:303]According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, product recalls have been rising. Melanie Trottman, Wall Street Journal.
Human
Health
Technology;
2008-11-06: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122593135496103323.html"]Election Web Sites Plot to Hold Their Viewers[/url]
US Politics [im1:302]Data reflecting the world, informing viewers, and creating an impact. Graphic from comSource's data depicts a rise in political
websites during the 2008 election season, which were the result of increased interest, but which also fueled the interest further. Adams and
US
Ovide, Wall Street
2008-11-06:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122593147202503333.html"]Free
Journal.
Trade Is Likely to Slow, With Pending Pacts Uncertain[/url]
Economy; [im1:304]Graphic displays a large negative trade balance, deepest in 2006. Greg Hitt, Wall Street Journal.
US Trade
Balance
[dg:270]
302
US Politics 2008-11-06: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122593378041403597.html"]The Changed Contours of America[/url]
[im1:307]Election results by county and population density. Gerald Seib, Wall Street Journal.
303
US Politics 2008-11-06: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/06/us/politics/06poll.html"]For Pollsters, the Racial Effect That Wasn???????t[/url]
[im1:309]New York Time's interactive graphic depicting demographics and results of voters for each election since 1976 based on exit polls.
Zernike and Sussman, New York Times.
US Politics 2008-11-06: [url="http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-11-05-turnout_N.htm"]Tally high for Americans at polls this
year[/url]
[im1:311]George Mason University's United States Election Project calculates that the percentage of Americans who cast ballots in this past
Global
election at 62.5%
2008-11-07:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122596514098904701.html"]Global
was the highest since 1968. Fredreka Schouten, USA Today.
Push to Beat Economic Downturn [/url]
Economies [im1:313]Graphic shows the GDP growth of 31 advanced economies, calculated by the International Monetary Fund. Perry, MacDonald, and
Reddy, Wall Street Journal.
US
2008-11-07: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122597416924204783.html"]Retailers Wallow and See Only More Gloom[/url]
Economy; [im1:315]Graphic shows that shoppers spent an average of about $350 over Thanksgiving weekend during 2006 and 2007. Ann Zimmerman,
Retail
Wall Street Journal.
US
2008-11-07: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122602502818007621.html"]A Snowblower Maker Braces for Slump's Blizzard of Woe[/url]
Economy; [im1:314]Outdoor Power Equipment Institute's data show that riding mowers and snowblower sales are down. Timothy Aeppel, Wall Street
Retail
Journal.
US Politics 2008-11-07: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/us/politics/07religion.html"]Obama Made Gains Among Younger Evangelical Voters,
Data Show[/url]
[im1:316]Graphic depicts statistics of voters of different religious faiths for Obama in 2008 and Kerry in 2004. Laurie Goodstein, New York
Global
Times.
2008-11-09:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122593011788403123.html"]Energy Policies Come Up Against Green Initiatives[/url]
Climate;
[im1:306][dg:2025][dg:623]According to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, carbon emissions are rising worldwide. Stephen Power, Wall
EnvironmentStreet Journal.
304
305
306
307
308
309
Want to help decrease greenhouse gas? The McKinsey Quarterly states that driving a more efficient car is the #1 most effective change you
can make.
310
311
312
US Politics 2008-11-09: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/weekinreview/09connelly.html"]Dissecting the Changing Electorate[/url]
[im1:318] Voting trend breakdowns over the past 32 years by sex, age, race, family status, education, financial situation, size of locality, politics
and religion. For an interactive graphic, see [url="http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/exit-polls.html"]Exit Polls.[/url] Marjorie
Connelly, The New York Times
2008-11-09: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/10/business/media/10silver.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink"]Finding Fame
With a Prescient Call for Obama[/url]
[im1:http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5ieXw28ZUpg/SRCJ-N-B9bI/AAAAAAAAAmw/wL0zXeZLcek/S1600-R/1105_super.png
URL:http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/] Fascinating site about political statistics created by math whiz Nate Silver.
Technology 2008-11-10: [URL="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7719281.stm"]Study shows how spammers cash in[/URL]
A new study by the University of California suggests that spammers get about one sale for every 12,500,000 emails sent.
[IM1:327] Graphic shows the breakdown of results of the spam sent in the study.
313
314
Global
2008-11-10: [url="http://sec.online.wsj.com/article/SB122628033558712405.html?mod=article-outset-box"]Nations Strive for Unity on Financial
Economies Crisis[/url] Leaders of 20 nations are meeting in Washington this Friday to discuss how to handle the financial crisis. Leaders have different
views about the best action plan, though all agree that a unified approach is needed.
[IM1:http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NA-AT851C_OUTLO_NS_20081109225601.gif] Graphic shows that economic output is expected
US
2008-11-10: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/08/business/economy/08econ.html?scp=1&sq=unemployment%20rate&st=cse"]Jobless
to decline in the U.S., Germany, France, Japan and the United Kingdom by 2009, while economic output is expected to grow in Russia, China,
Economy; Rate at 14-Year High After October Losses[/url]
India, Brazil and Mexico by 2009. These countries are some of the 20 countries meeting this Friday in Washington.
US
Unemployment
[im1:317] Graphic shows various labor market metrics, including a 52.2% increase in the number of people working part-time jobs that want
full-time jobs as compared to one year ago.
[im1:312]
Labor Department data show a drop in hours worked and a drop in nonfarm output.
[dg:248]
315
US
Economy
2008-11-11: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/11/us/politics/11auto.html"]Obama Asks Bush to Provide Help for Automakers[/URL]
[IM1:320] Graphic shows the potential job, personal income and tax loses that could result over the next three years from Detroit's Big Three
automakers shutting down. Graphic also shows some details of Obama's proposed bailout plan.
[IM1:322]
Graphic from The Wall Street Journal shows U.S. light vehicle sales 12-month moving average.
316
US
2008-11-12: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/business/economy/12leonhardt.html?hp"]Buying Binge Slams to Halt[/URL] Consumer
Economy; spending growth year over year is down.
US
[IM1:323]
Unemployment
Graphic shows that growth in consumer spending is at its lowest level since 1980. David Leonhardt, The New York Times.
For more consumer spending data, see Data360's [URL="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=1240"]Consumer
Spending Overview[/URL]
317
Human
Health
2008-11-12: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/technology/internet/12flu.html?_r=1&ref=health&oref=slogin"]Google Uses Searches
to Track Flu's Spread[/URL] Google now provides estimated flu activity by state based on search queries. Tests by Google.org suggest that
Google's flu tracking tool may detect regional outbreaks of the flu 7-10 days before those outbreaks are reported by the Centers for Disease
Control.
318
Human
Health
2008-11-13: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/13/MNG01436CB.DTL&type=health"]Better Results from
[IM1:321] Graphic shows Google estimated and CDC reported flu outbreaks in the Mid-Atlantic region. To view other flu data, see
same-sex heart transplants[/URL] Heart transplant patients have a higher chance or survival and a lower risk or rejection when they get a heart
[URL="http://www.google.org/flutrends/"]Google Flu Trends.[/URL] Miguel Helft, The New York Times.
from a donor of the same sex.
319
US
Economy
320
Human
Health
[IM1:324] Graphic shows heart transplant survival rates by donor / recipient sex combinations and the annual number of same sex and mixed
2008-11-14: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122663018704227327.html?mod=googlenews_wsj"]Banks Wage Rate War for
sex transplants.
Deposits[/URL] Banks are increasing the interest rates paid on deposits.
[IM1:326] Graphic shows the federal funds interest rate target and the average yield on a one-year certificate of deposit. David Enrich, The
Wall Street Journal
2008-11-14: [URL="http://sec.online.wsj.com/article/SB122661621189526173.html"]When Alzheimer's Hits at 40[/URL]
[IM1:325] Graphic shows the estimated percentage of Americans in various age groups that suffer from Alzheimer's. It is estimated that 42%
of people ages 85+ suffer from Alzheimer's. Shirley Wang, The Wall Street Journal.
321
*No Issue 2008-11-15: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/15/MNCI144733.DTL"]Spike in S.F. Traffic Deaths, Injuries[/URL]
Group /
Both the number of pedestrians and bicyclists injured and the number of pedestrians and bicyclists killed in San Francisco were up in 2007
Headline compared with 2006. City officials attribute this rise to a rise in the number of people walking and riding bikes.
322
US
Economy
[IM1:328] Graphic shows the number of non-fatal injury collisions and fatal collisions in San Francisco. Rachel Gordon, The San Francisco
2008-11-16: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/17/us/17fiscal.html?_r=1"]Facing Deficits, States Get Out Sharper Knives[/URL] Many
Chronicle.
states are scrambling to deal with budget gaps as sales, income and property taxes drop.
US
Economy
[IM1:330] Graphic shows states with budget shortfalls and size of shortfalls. Click graphic to view the interactive map. Jennifer Steinhauer, The
New York Times.
2008-11-17: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/business/economy/18econ.html"]Industrial Output Rebounds, Moving Past
Disruptions[/URL] Industrial output rose 1.3% in October after falling 3.7% in September.
323
[IM1:331] Graphic shows industrial production and capacity utilization. Associated Press, The New York Times.
324
Human
Health
325
Human
Health
326
US
Housing
Market
327
328
US
Economy
2008-11-17: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/health/research/18birth.html"]Birth Defects Tied to Fertility Techniques[/URL] A new
study found that infants conceived using common fertility techniques are two to four times more likely to have certain birth defects, such as cleft
lip, and deformation of the rectum or esophagus.
[IM1:329] Graphic shows the likelihood of various birth defects for babies conceived through in vitro fertilization vs. babies conceived naturally.
2008-11-18: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/health/research/18gingko.html?em"]Ginkgo Biloba Ineffective Against Dementia,
Researchers Find[/URL] A new study finds that ginkgo biloba does not help prevent memory loss. Roni Caryn Rabin, The New York Times.
[IM1:333] Graphic shows cumulative dementia rates by treatment type (ginkgo biloba or placebo). To see the full study, see
[URL="http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/300/19/2253"]Ginkgo biloba for Prevention of Dementia[/URL]
2008-11-19: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/business/economy/19home.html"]Home Prices Decline by 9%[/URL] The sales price
of existing single-family homes fell 9% in the third quarter as compared with the same period a year ago. Reuters, The New York Times.
To see the data from the National Association of Realtors, see [URL="http://www.realtor.org/research/research/ehsdata"]Existing-Home
Sales[/URL]
2008-11-19: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/business/economy/20econ.html?_r=1&8au&emc=au"]Consumer Price Decline
Prompts Fear of Deflation[/URL] The consumer price index declined by 1% in October, the largest monthly decline since 1938. Jack Healy, The
New York Times.
[DG:344] Graphs shows the monthly change in the CPI since November 2006. For more data regarding the CPI and the monthly change in the
US
2008-11-19: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/21/business/21markets.html?ref=business"]Markets Dive in Last Hour, Carving New
CPI, see [URL="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=27"]Data360's Consumer Price Index Graph Group[/URL]
Economy / Lows[/URL] The dow closed at its lowest point in nearly six years.
Headline
[DG:358]
Graph shows the recent history of the monthly change of the Dow Jones. For more data on the Dow Jones, see Data360's
[URL="http://www.data360.org/adm_gg_comment.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=196"] Dow Jones Industrial Average Graph Group[/URL]
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*No Issue
Group
Global
Economy
2008-11-19:
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/19/BAR0147BFK.DTL&hw=cost+to+park+in+city&sn=002&sc=552"]Cost to
2008-11-20: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122713195807542075.html?mod=googlenews_wsj"]EU to Coordinate $164 Billion
park in S.F. could be set by demand[/URL] San Francisco City Hall approved a plan to set parking rates based on demand. The federal
Stimulus[/URL] The European Union is putting together a $164 billion stimulus package. It is not clear how much (if any) of the money will be
government will pay $18.4 million of the $23 million total cost. Prices will fluctuate between $0.25 and $18.00 per hour, with a goal of keeping
new.
10-35% of meters available at any given time. The program is set for a limited launch this spring. Rachel Gordon, The San Francisco
Chronicle.
[IM1:336] Graphic shows the change from previous quarter in the GDP of the 27 countries in the European Union since 2000.
US
2008-11-20: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122720155194344635.html"]Lawmakers Send Big Three Back Home Empty- Handed[/URL]
Economy / Congress did not pass a bailout plan for the auto industry, saying that the industry did not have viable plans for returning to profitability.
Headline
[IM1:337] Graphic shows the cash on hand and burn rate for Ford, GM and Chrysler. Greg Hitt, John D. Stoll, Alex P. Kellogg, The Wall Street
Journal.
[IM1:335]
Graphic shows the breakdown of public opinion regarding the auto industry bailout. For the corresponding story, see
[URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122710695099540967.html?mod=todays_us_page_one"]Auto Makers' Rescue Drive Stalls.[/URL] Greg
Hitt, Jeffrey McCracken, Matthew Dolan. The Wall Street Journal.
For the complete report from Gallup, see
[URL="http://www.gallup.com/poll/111943/Americans-Divided-Aid-Big-Three-Automakers.aspx"]Americans Divided on Aid to Big Three
Automakers[/URL]
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Energy Oil /
US
Economy /
Headline
2008-11-20: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/21/business/economy/21oil.html?em"]Oil Closes Below $50, Lowest Price Since May
2005[/URL] Oil prices are at their lowest level in more than three years. Some analysts expect oil prices to drop to $30 to $40 per barrel as the
economy worsens. Jad Mouawad, The New York Times.
[DG:279] Graph shows oil prices since December 2004. For more data on oil and gas prices, see Data360's
[URL="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=168"]Oil Prices Graph Group[/URL]
333
US
Housing
Market
2008-11-21: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122722235538745845.html"]Only One Person Knows a Home's Value: Its Buyer[/URL]
Different measures of home prices show different magnitudes of rise and decline in home prices.
334
Environment2008-11-21: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/21/MNV1147VJE.DTL&hw=plankton&sn=001&sc=1000"]Death
bloom of plankton a warning on warming[/URL] Stanford scientists have found that disappearing Artic seas ice brought on by climate change is
causing phytoplankton to die away as never before. This will likely cause problems with migratory creatures that rely on the ocean for food.
335
Human
Health
US
Housing
Market
[IM1:341] Graphic shows the percentage change in six different housing price measures.
336
[IM1:343] Graphic shows the shrinking Arctic ice.
2008-11-23: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/24/business/24medicare.html?ref=health"]Studies Say Private Medicare Plans Have
Added Costs, for Little Gain[/URL] About one forth of medicare beneficiaries use private health insurance plans. Recent studies say that these
2008-11-24: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122748520112251743.html?mod=testMod"]Home Builders Make Plea for Federal Aid[/URL]
private plans cost more and do not improve care.
Home builders are asking for a $250 billion stimulus package, namely tax credits for home purchases and a federal subsidy that would lower a
mortgage rates.
[IM1:344]
Graphic shows the price-to-rent ratio and the price-to-income ratio, both since 1985. These measures are used to predict when housing prices
will reach equilibrium.
[DG:1345]
Graph shows the existing home sales seasonally adjusted annual rate since 2004.
337
US
Economy
2008-11-24: [URL="http://s.wsj.net/article/SB122747680752551447.html#project%3DCITI081119%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]U.S. Agrees to
Rescue Struggling Citigroup[/URL] The federal government will help absorb potentially hundreds of billions of dollars in losses on bad assets
on Citibank's balance sheet and provide capital to Citibank.
[IM1:342]
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US
Economy
Graphic shows Citigroup's daily share closing price since Jan. 2008. David Enrich, Carrick Mollenkamp, Matthias Reiker, Damian Paletta, The
Wall Street Journal.
2008-11-25: [URL="http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/25/news/economy/consumer_confidence/?postversion=2008112511"]Consumer confidence
index rebounds[/URL] The consumer confidence index rose in November, after hitting an all-time low in October. Ben Rooney, CNN Money.
US
Economy
[DG:2030] Graphic shows the Consumer Confidence Index and its two component indices, the Present Situation Index and the Expectations
Index.
2008-11-25: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122757149157954723.html"]Why Permanent Tax Cuts Are the Best Stimulus [/URL]:
Personal consumption expenditures did not noticeably increase during the time of the last rebate.
[IM1:381]
Graphic shows personal disposable income and personal consumption expenditures around the time of the last tax rebate checks. John
Taylor, The Wall Street Journal.
340
US
Housing
Market
341
Human
Health
342
US
Economy
343
2008-11-25: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122762710209956573.html?mod=article-outset-box"]Home Prices Continue to Drop[/URL]:
National home prices are down 16.6% compared to one year ago. Kerry Grace and Sarah Lynch, The Wall Street Journal.
[DG:1951]
Graph shows the S&P/Case-Shiller composite home price index since 1987. For more S&P/Case-Shiller home price index data, see Data360's
[URL="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=110"]S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Indices Report[/URL]
2008-11-25: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/25/health/25breast.html"]Study Suggests Some Cancers May Go Away[/URL] Even
invasive cancers may sometimes go away without treatment, and in larger numbers than previously believed.
[IM1:345] Graphic shows the number of cases of invasive breast cancer detected in a screened group, which was screened for breast cancer
every 2 years for 6 years, and a control group, which was screened for breast cancer once at the 6-year mark. The study found fewer cases of
2008-11-26:
invasive breast cancer in the control group, suggesting that some of the cases of invasive breast cancer in the control group may have gone
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/26/MNVN14C8QR.DTL&hw=where+it+going&sn=406&sc=411"]Government
away without
Bailout
Hits $8.5
treatment.
Trillion[/URL]:
Gina Colata,
The federal
The New
government
York Times.
has committed $8.5 trillion to financial rescue initiatives. It is unclear how much these
initiatives will cost tax payers.
[IM1:349]
US
2008-11-26:[URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122761923606056345.html?mod=rss_whats_news_us_business&mg=com-wsj"]Americans'
Graphic
shows the breakdown of the government's rescue funds. Kathleen Pender, The San Francisco Chronicle.
Economy / Gloom Reverberates[/URL] The Commerce Department made a downward adjustment of the third quarter real GDP growth rate, from -0.3% to
US GDP -0.5%. Drops in consumer spending, exports, imports, and state and local government spending contributed to the decline in the GDP growth
rate. Increases in inventory investment and federal government spending helped increase the GDP growth rate.
[IM1:347]
Graphic shows the quarterly change in GDP growth at a seasonally adjusted annual rate and the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index year over
year change. Kelly Evans and Jeff Bater, The Wall Street Journal.
[DG:274]
Graph shows real and nominal GDP growth rates. For more data regarding the U.S. GDP, see Data360's
[URL="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=149"]GDP United States Graph Group[/URL]
344
Human
Health
345
Human
Health
2008-11-26:[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/26/health/research/26cancer.html?_r=1&ref=health"]New Cases of Cancer Decline in
U.S.[/URL] Cancer diagnosis rates decreased by an average of 0.8 percent each year from 1999 to 2005 and death rates from cancer
decreased an average of 1.8 percent each year from 2002 to 2005.
[IM1:348] Graphic shows rates of new cancer cases and deaths.
2008-11-26:[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/26/world/africa/26aids.html?ref=health"]Study Cites Toll of AIDS Policy in South
Africa[/URL] A new study estimates that 365,000 premature deaths could have been prevented in South Africa earlier this decade if the
government had provided antiretroviral drugs to AIDS patients and widely administered drugs to help prevent pregnant women from infecting
their babies. Celia Dugger, The New York Times.
To view the complete study, see [URL="http://www.aids.harvard.edu/Lost_Benefits.pdf"]Estimating the Lost Benefits of Antiretroviral Drug Use
in South Africa[/URL]
346
Energy Oil
2008-11-29: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122791647562165587.html"]An Ode to Oil[/URL]: Article argues that diminishing resource
act as a source of stability, and forces countries to work together.
347
Public
Opinion
[IM1:356]
Graphic shows proved oil reserves, top 10 oil producers and consumers and oil revenue of OPEC countries. Roger Howard, The Wall Street
Journal.
2008-11-29: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/29/opinion/29blow.html?ref=opinion"]Gay Marriage and the Moral Minority[/URL] Data
suggests that nearly twice as many black women voted for proposition eight in California as black men.
348
Human
Health
[IM1:357] Graphic shows views of democrats, republicans and black people on various social issues. The views of black people regarding
social issues tend to be similar to those of republicans. Charles Blow, The New York Times.
2008-11-29: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/30/sports/30genetics.html?partner=rss&emc=rss"]Born to Run? Little Ones Get Test for
Sports Gene[/URL] A new genetic test attempts to predict a child's athletic strength based on a test of the ACNT3 gene.
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352
[IM1:363] Graphic shows the 3 allele frequencies of the ACNT3 gene and their corresponding frequencies in power olympians, endurance
olympians, and controls.
US
2008-11-30: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/01/business/01shop.html?partner=rss&emc=rss"]Deep Discounts Draw Shoppers, but
Economy / Not Profits[/URL]: Thanksgiving weekend sales were up this year compared with the past three years. However, large discounts offered by
Retail
retailers may mean a decrease in retailer profits.
US
[IM1:353] Graphic
2008-12-01:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/02/business/economy/02econ.html?th=&emc=th&pagewanted=all"]Officials
shows consumer spending over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend for 2005 - 2008. Stephanie Rosenbloom, The
Vow
New
to Act
York
Economy Amid
Times.Signs of Long Recession[/URL] The National Bureau of Economic Research announced that the U.S. entered a recession in December
2007.
[IM1:350]
Graphic shows graphs of some of the factors considered in determining a recession for the recessions since 1969.
Environment2008-12-02: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122817626182370653.html"]The War on Carbon Heats Up Globally, but Strategies for
/ Energy
Change Remain Local[/URL]: Local and global policies regarding climate change are not working efficiently and harmoniously. Diplomats are
Overview meeting soon in Poland for a climate-change conference, "where the official purpose is to protect the planet and the subtext is to shift the cost
to someone else."
US
Housing
Market /
US
Economy
353
Human
Health
354
US
Economy
2008-12-02: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122818894948271631.html"]Delinquent Mortgages Set to Nearly Double in 2009[/URL]:
[IM1:383] Graphic shows the fossil fuel CO2 emissions for various countries in 1990 and 2006. Jeffrey Ball, The Wall Street Journal.
TransUnion LLC, a leading credit bureau, projects that mortgages that are 60 days or more past-due will reach 7.17% in Q4 2009.
[IM2:359]
Graphic shows predicted 60 day mortgage delinquency rates and predicted 90-day cred card delinquency rates. Jane Kim, The Wall Street
Journal.
2008-12-02: [URL="http://www.careerjournal.com/article/SB122815950811069761.html"]Mental Problems Afflict 1 in 5 Young Adults[/URL] A
new study published in Archives of General Psychiatry suggests that 20% of college students and their non-college attending peers have a
personality disorder that affects everyday life.
To see the complete study (login required), see: [URL="http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/65/12/1429"]Mental Health of College
2008-12-02: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/business/03sales.html?partner=rss&emc=rss"]Another Month of Miserable Auto
Students and Their Non?????College-Attending Peers[/URL]
Sales[/URL]: Vehicle sales in the United States dropped 36.7% in November to the lowest rate in 26 years.
[IM1:362]
Graphic shows year to year change in auto sales by company. Nick Bunkley, The New York Times.
355
356
357
Human
Health
2008-12-02: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/health/03nice.html"]British Balance Benefit vs. Cost of Latest Drugs[/URL]: Britain's
health system uses a cost benefit analysis in deciding which drugs to pay for. Prolonging life for six months is generally worth $22,750 under
the British system.
[Im1:358]
Graphic shows health care spending and pharmaceutical spending per capita in various countries. Gardiner Harris, The New York Times.
Education / 2008-12-03: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/03/education/03college.html"]Higher Education May Soon be Unaffordable for Most
Headline Americans, Report Says[/URL]: The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education released a report showing that published college
tuition and fees increased 439 percent from 1982 to 2007 while median family income rose 147 during the same time period.
US
Housing
Marktet /
US
Economy
[IM1:355] Graphic shows the growth rate of college tuition and fees, medical care, median family income, and the CPI since 1982-84. Graphic
2008-12-03: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/business/04refi.html?partner=rss&emc=rss"]A Rush Into Refinancing as Mortgage
also shows net college costs as a percentage of median family income by income category. Tamar Lewin, The New York Times.
Rates Fall[/URL]: The Federal Reserve announced plans to buy $500 billion in mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by Fannie Mae,
Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae. Mortgage rates immediately dropped, leading to a surge in mortgage refinancing activity.
[IM1:360]
Graphic shows the mortgage refinancing index and the 30-year fixed mortgage rate. Tara Siegel Bernand, The New York Times.
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361
Environment2008-12-03: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/science/earth/04meat.html?partner=rss&emc=rss"]As More Eat Meat, a Bid to Cut
Emissions[/URL] The United Nations expects beef and pork consumption to double between 2000 and 2050, leading environmentalists to look
into new ways to lessen the emissions from livestock.
[IM1:354] Graphic shows meat production, food production in developing countries by type, and CO2 emissions by food type. Elisabeth
US
2008-12-04: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/business/economy/05shop.html?ref=business"]Retail Sales are Weakest in 35
Rosenthal, The New York Times.
Economy / Years[/URL] Retail sales continue to fall. Department store sales were down 13.3% this November compared with November 2007.
Retail
[IM1:352]
Graphic shows the Goldman Sachs Retail Composite Index year-to-year change and sales and major retailers. Stephanie Rosenbloom, The
New York Times.
Global
2008-12-05: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122843724270881449.html"]Fed Weighs Its Options As Europe Cuts Rates[/URL] The
Economies Federal Reserve is looking into ways to revive the U.S. economy. The central banks of other countries are cutting interest rates.
/ US
Economy / [IM1:368]
Headline
Graphic shows August 2007 and current interest rates in various countries. Joellen Perry and Jon Hilsenrath, The Wall Street Journal.
US
2008-12-05: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/business/economy/06idle.html?partner=rss"]Grim Job Report Not Showing Full
Unemployment
Picture[/URL] The unemployment situation is worse than it looks based on the unemployment rate because more people are out of the labor
/ US
force entirely or are employed part-time, but want full-time work. The percentage of men age 20 or older with jobs was at its lowest point in
Economy November since 1983.
[IM1:369]
Graphic shows the percentage of men and women employed since 1946. David Leonhardt and Catherine Rampell, The New York Times.
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/business/economy/06jobs.html?fta=y"]U.S. Loses 533,000 Jobs in Biggest Drop Since 1974[/URL]
[IM1:370]
Graphic shows various job market metrics. Louis Uchitelle, Edmund Andrews and Stephen Labaton, The New York Times.
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363
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US
2008-12-05: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/business/economy/06jobs.html?ref=business"]Jobless Rate Soars to 6.7% in
Economy / November[/URL]: With the loss of 533,000 jobs, the unemployment rate rose to 6.7% in November. Total job losses since the beginning of this
US
recession total appoximately 1.9 million. Louis Uchitelle, The New York Times.
Unemployment
[DG:44] Graph shows the U.S. unemployment rate since 1948. For more unemployment rate and civilian labor force graphs, see Data360's
Technology 2008-12-05: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/technology/internet/06security.html"]Thieves Winning Online War, Maybe Even in
[URL="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=402"]U.S. Unemployment Rate and Civilian Labor Force Graph
Your Computer [/URL] Malicious software (malware) is spreading faster than ever.The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
Group[/URL]
estimates that malware costs computer users $100 billion per year.
[IM1:445]
Graphic shows the total unique malware programs detected by F-Secure (an online security provider) by month for 2007 and 2008. John
US
2008-12-06: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122848262764182657.html"]Job Losses Worst Since '74: 533,000 Shed in
Markoff, The New York Times.
EmploymentNovember[/URL]: The U.S. experienced its largest one month job loss since 1974.
/ US
[IM1:365]
Unemployment
Graphic shows the change in nonfarm payroll and the unemployment rate. Sudeep Reddy, Ray Smith and Kris Maher, The Wall Street Journal.
US
2008-12-06: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/weekinreview/07dash.html"]The Last Temptation of Plastic: XMAS[/URL]: Americans
Economy / have more credit card debt than after tax household income. Layaway has returned in popularity in some stores.
Headline
[IM1:367]
Graphic shows average household credit card debt and average household credit card debt per dollar of after tax household income. Eric
Dash, The New York Times.
366
Environment2008-12-07: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122851537257083869.html"]Cities Give Waste-to-Energy Plants a Second Look[/URL]
/ Energy
More local governments are looking into waste-to-energy plants to help fight high landfill and transportation costs.
Overview /
US
[IM1:366]
Economy
Graphic shows the process of generating power from waste.
Ilan Brat, The Wall Street Journal
367
US
Economy
368
US
Economy
2008-12-08: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122868441132386225.html?mg=com-wsj"]Searching for the Lowest of the Low [/URL]:
Some prominent money managers are predicting that we have seen the low point of the bear market. Unfortunately, these money managers
have been early to predict the end of the downturn before.
[IM1:385] Graph shows the the Dow Jones Industrial Average since January 2008 with predicted "bottoms" from market watchers.
2008-12-08:
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/08/MN1314IRLO.DTL&hw=public+worker+pension+fund&sn=001&sc=1000"]State
Public Worker Pension Fund Takes Big Hit[/URL]: The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) has lost 31% of its value
since last fall. If the fund continues to lose money, state and local employers may be required to pay more money.
[IM1:364]
369
370
371
372
Global
Economy
Graphic shows the value of the CalPERS fund since 1995. Carolyn Said, The San Francisco Chronicle.
2008-12-09: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122875151145388213.html?mg=com-wsj"]S&P Downgrades Russia, Citing Falling
Reserves[/URL] Standard & Poor's cut Russia's debt rating for the first time in a decade, citing the "rapid depletion" of Russia's reserves.
[Im1:371] Graphic shows S&P's long-term foreign-currency debt ratings for several Eastern European nations. Several of these debt ratings
have decreased recently. Gregory White, The Wall Street Journal.
Human
2008-12-09: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122878065141689611.html?mod=googlenews_wsj"]Malaria Vaccine Is Given a Good Shot
Health
As Big-Money Donors Boost Research[/URL]: "RTS,S", an experimental malaria vaccine, is showing promising results in two studies on African
children. If the vaccine continues to do well, it could be ready for use by 2011. The drug is being developed by s being developed by
GlaxoSmithKline PLC and the Path Malaria Vaccine Initiative. The Path Malaria Vaccine initiative is a charitable group funded by the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation. More and more, charitable groups are funding research for potentially life-saving drugs that pharmaceutical
Education 2008-12-09: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/education/09graduate.html"]Those Taking Graduate Test Abruptly Drop in
companies see as too risky or not profitable enough to research and develop.
Number[/URL]: Fewer students took the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) in 2008 than in 2007. The Educational Testing Service, which
US
2008-12-09: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/business/10fha.html?_r=1"]As F.H.A.???????s Role Grows, So Does the Risk of
administers the exam, expects 621,000 people to take the exam in 2008, compared with 633,000 in 2007. 2007, however, was a record year,
Housing
[IM1:392] Graphic
Fraud[/URL]:
The Federal
shows the
Housing
reported
Administration
cases of malaria
(FHA)inacts
globally
to help
andlower-income
in Africa andand
the first-time
reported deaths
buyers globally
purchase
and
homes.
in Africa.
During
Jeanne
the recent
Whalen,
and only 577,000 people took the GRE in 2006 and 539,000 in 2005.
Market
The Wallboom,
housing
Streetthe
Journal.
FHA was not very active as it was easier for lower-income and first-time buyers to get a conventional loan. Over the past
few months, however, the FHA has been insuring more loans, and some people worry that the FHA may suffer from mortgage fraud that it is
not prepared to handle.
373
US
Economy
2008-12-09: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/business/economy/10leonhardt.html?scp=2&sq=pay%20gap&st=cse"]$73 an hour:
Adding It Up[/URL] The Big 3 automakers spend about $73 per hour worked by a unionized laborer. This amount, however, is made up of
wages, benefits and legacy costs. About $55 of the hourly cost is for current employees, while about $15 of the hourly cost goes toward legacy
costs.
[IM1:372]
374
Human
Health
Graphic shows pay per hour breakdown for Ford, Japanese automakers and Ford with the health care fund in place and 20% new hires. David
2008-12-09: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/health/10injury.html?partner=rss&emc=rss"]Report Sounds Alarm on Child
Leonhardt, The New York Times.
Accidents[/URL]: Accidents kill 830,000 children around the world each year, according to a new study released by the World Health
Organization and Unicef.
[IM1:384] Graphic shows the leading causes of death in children worldwide by age group. Donald G. McNeil Jr., The New York Times.
Click here to view the full [URL="http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/child/injury/world_report/en/"]World Report on Child Injury
Prevention[/URL] report.
375
Education 2008-12-10: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/10/MNBT14KP86.DTL&type=science"]U.S. Kids Better At Math,
Not Science[/URL]: U.S. students have improved in math over the past decade, but not science, according to the
[URL="http://nces.ed.gov/timss/"]Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study[/URL].
376
Global
Economy
377
378
379
380
[IM1:373] Graphic shows the math and science rankings of the U.S. compared to other countries. Maria Glod, The San Francisco Chronicle.
2008-12-11: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122890027913294421.html"]Slowdown In China Gets Worse, Increasing Global Woes
[/URL]: China has experienced significant declines in imports and exports recently, and The World Bank forecasts a reduced GDP growth rate
for China for 2008 and 2009. Exports in November fell 2.2% from the previous year, which marks the first decline since June 2001.
[IM1:444]
Graphic shows the percentage change in imports, exports and GDP for China for the last few years. Andrew Batson and Gordon Fairclough,
US
2008-12-11:
The Wall Street Journal.
Economy [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/11/BUAP14LM9N.DTL&hw=state+economy&sn=004&sc=682"]Bleak Outlook
for State Economy[/URL]: The current UCLA Anderson Forecast, a quarterly report on the state's economy, predicts that California will be in a
recession until Q3 2009 and that the unemployment rate will rise to 9% in 2009 and stay at that level for some time. Tom Abate, The San
Francisco Chronicle.
US
2008-12-12: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/13/business/13charts.html"]Younger Job-Seekers Have It Worse[/URL]: Now, there are
Unemployment
more jobs for every group 55 years of age and older and fewer jobs for every group under age 55 as compared with 1 year ago.
Login required to view the full report ([URL="http://www.uclaforecast.com/forecast/forecast.asp?sForecastType=Article"]December 2008
Economic Outlook[/URL])
[IM1:382] Graphic shows the percentage change in jobs by age group. Floyd Norris, The New York Times.
US
Economy
2008-12-13: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122909314171801757.html"]Glocal Auto Contraction Ahead[/URL]: Automakers globally are
expected to produce millions of vehicles under capacity in the coming years.
US
Economy
[IM1:388] Graphic shows the automaker capacity utilization rate and straight-time capacity and global production. Kate Linebaugh and Norihiko
Shirozu, The Wall Street Journal.
2008-12-13:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/business/14miller.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=these%20days,%20it%27s%20awfully&st=cse"]The Man
Who Is Unwinding Lehman Brothers[/URL]: Many analysts expect a wave of bankruptcies in 2009.
381
382
383
*No Issue 2008-12-13: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/weekinreview/14marsh.html"]Illinois Is Trying. It Really Is. But the Most Corrupt State
Group /
Is Actually . . .[/URL]: The most corrupt state depends on which measure you use for corruption. Florida is the most corrupt state based on
Headline number of convicted officials, D.C. and North Dakota are the most corrupt states based on number of convicted officials per capita, and Rhode
Island is the most corrupt state based on a survey of journalists.
[IM1:377]
US
Graphic shows
2008-12-14:
[URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122878003437589575.html"]How
convicted officials per million residents per year. Bill Marsh, The New to
York
FixTimes.
401(k)s[/URL]: Many people believe that the 401(k)
Economy / system is broken and think we need an alternative.
US
Employment[IM1:386] Graphic shows 401(k) participation by income bracket, participants saving the maximum amount by age group, and average and
median account balances in defined contribution plans by year. Anne Tergesen, The Wall Street Journal.
US
2008-12-17: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122945750489411369.html"]Burned Investors Won't Find Strong Safety Net[/URL]: The
Economy Securities Investor Protection Corporation may not have the funds to cover the losses in the Bernard Madoff case.
[IM1:378] Graphic shows a list of reported victims in the Madoff case.
384
Human
Health
2008-12-17: [URL="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081216201408.htm"]United States Death Map Revealed[/URL]: Susan
Cutter and Kevin Borden, from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, used nationwide data going back to 1970 to create county level
map of the likelihood of dying from natural events (floods, earthquakes, extreme weather, etc.).
[IM1:390] Graphic shows the likelihood of dying from a natural event by county. Dark blue indicates the lowest likelihood, while red indicates
the highest likelihood.
For the full report, see [URL="http://www.ij-healthgeographics.com/content/pdf/1476-072x-7-64.pdf"]Spatial patterns of natural hazards
mortality in the United States[/URL]
For more information, see the [URL="http://webra.cas.sc.edu/hvri/"]Hazards and Vulnerability Research Institute's[/URL] website.
385
Energy
Overview /
Energy Oil
2008-12-18: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122950555647213917.html"]OPEC Plans Record Output Cut[/URL] OPEC said it will cut
output by 2.2 million barrels a day (7%) in hopes of pushing up prices. Oil prices still fell 8% after the announcement.
[IM1:375] Graphic shows the change in oil demand year-on-year (global and industrialized countries) and the price per barrel on Nymex
crude-oil futures.
2008-12-16: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/17/business/worldbusiness/17opec.html?ref=business"]Further Cuts in Output by OPEC
Are Likely[/URL]
[Im1:376]
Graphic shows the break-even crude oil price for various oil producing countries.
386
387
Global
Economy
[IM1:380] Graphic shows the overall rate cuts since August 2007 for the countries that announced rate cuts on Wednesday (Hong Kong,
Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Norway and the Czech Republic), as well as the current rate cuts since August 2007 for countries that are likely to
Environment2008-12-18:
announce rate cuts soon (New Zealand, Australia, U.K., Euro Zone, Switzerland and Japan).
/ Energy - [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/18/BU6C14Q22A.DTL&hw=lessening+of+dependence&sn=001&sc=1000"]Foreign
Oil / Energy oil dependence expected to drop[/URL] A report released by the Energy Department predicts a reduced dependence on foreign oil over the
Overview next two decades. H. Josef Hebert, The Associated Press.
388
US
Housing
Market
389
US
Economy
390
391
392
393
394
2008-12-18: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122955896261916369.html"]Global Crisis Resists Central-Bank Moves[/URL]: Several
banks around the world cut their policy rates, following the rate cut announcement by the Federal Reserve in the U.S.
2008-12-18:
For the full report, see the Energy Information Administration's [URL="http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/index.html"]Annual Energy Outlook 2009
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/19/BUFK14QN2S.DTL&hw=bay+area+home+values&sn=001&sc=1000"]Bay
Early Release[/URL]
Area Home Values Plummet[/URL] Bay Area home values fell to an 8 year low in November, spurred by a weakened economy and discounted
foreclosed properties. The median price for an existing single-family home in the bay area fell to $350,000, which represents a 47.8% decline
from a year ago.
2008-12-18:
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/12/17/state/n160501S19.DTL&hw=state+budget&sn=001&sc=1000"]Schwarzenegger
[IM1:389] Graphic shows November sales of existing single-family homes and change from November 2007 for the nine bay area counties.
to veto Democrats' budget plan[/URL]: California lawmakers passed an $18 billion budget put forth by Democrats. Governor Arnold
James Temple, The San Francisco Chronicle.
Schwarzenegger says he will veto the budget. Judy Lin, The Associated Press.
2008-12-17:
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/18/MNVK14PUNK.DTL&hw=state+budget&sn=002&sc=958"]Dems' new
budget plan adds $9 billion revenue[/URL] The democrats proposed a budget in which the large portion of the new revenue for the general
fund comes from new sales and income taxes. The budget also proposed repealing the state's $0.18 a gallon excise tax on gasoline, as well as
Philanthropy2008-12-19:
sales tax on gasoline,
[URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122963299671419401.html"]Charity
and replacing those items with a flat $0.39 a gallon fee.
Rankings Giveth Less Than Meets the Eye[/URL]: Most
charitable ratings fail to properly quantify a charity's success in reaching its mission, which has led to unreliable ratings and very varied ratings
[Im1:374]rating systems.
between
Graphic shows the sources of new funds in the democrats' proposed budget.
[IM1:391] Graphic shows three separate charity ratings for five charities, highlighting that ratings can vary widely between rating systems.
US
2008-12-19: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/19/business/19tax.html?pagewanted=2&sq=1997%20tax%20break&st=cse&scp=1"]Tax
Housing
Break May Have Helped Cause Housing Bubble[/URL]: A 1997 act passed by congress that eliminated the capital gains tax on most home
Market
sales with profits less than $500,000 may have contributed to the housing bubble. Several other factors, including relaxed lending standards, a
lack of regulation and a sharp decline in interest rates, may have played larger roles in contributing to the housing bubble.
US
2008-12-19: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/19/BUMN14RCIA.DTL"]State Jobless Rate at 14-Year High[/URL]:
[IM1:395] Graphic shows existing single family home sales from 1985 to 2007. Vikas Bajaj and David Leonhardt, The New York Times.
Unemployment
In November, California had an 8.4% unemployment rate. This is the highest unemployment rate in over 14 years.
US
2008-12-19: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2008/12/19/MN6A14QO49.DTL"]The Rush to Refinance[/URL]: Mortgage
Housing
rates are approaching 50 year lows, leading many to want to refinance.
Market
[IM1:387] Graphic shows hypothetical old and new interest rates (with a refinance) and the annual savings for three scenarios. Carolyn Said,
The San Francisco Chronicle.
US
2008-12-20: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122968848509121419.html"]S&P Lowers Ratings of 11 Banks[/URL]: S&P downgraded the
Economy credit ratings of 11 global banks. The move was mostly ignored by the bond market.
[IM1:399] Graphic shows the previous and new credit ratings for the 11 banks downgraded by S&P. Liz Rappaport, The Wall Street Journal.
395
US
Housing
Market
2008-12-20: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/21/business/21admin.html?scp=1&sq=White%20House%20Philosophy&st=cse"]White
House Philosophy Stoked Mortgage Bonfire[/URL]: Bush's push for homeownership contributed to our financial crisis.
[IM1:449]
Graphic shows homeownership rates since 1990. Jo Becker, Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Stephen Labaton, The New York Times.
396
Human
Health
2008-12-22: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/23/health/23stat.html"]Cancer on the Rise[/URL]: The World Health Organization predicts
that there will be 20 million new cases of cancer per year by 2030. Today there are 12 million new cases of cancer per year.
[IM1:448]
Graphic shows estimated cases and deaths of various types of cancer by region of the world. Nicholas Bakalar, The New York Times.
397
US
Economy
2008-12-23: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122992788012825897.html"]Toyota Sees First Loss in 70 Years[/URL]: Toyota is
forecasting its first annual consolidated operating loss since 1938 for the fiscal year ending March 31. They still expect to report a small net
profit.
398
[IM1:396] Graphic shows Toyota's operating profit from 1986 to 2009 (projected). Yoshio Takahashi and Kate Linebaugh, The Wall Street
*No Issue 2008-12-23: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122998208060227699.html"]Recession Slows Migration in U.S.[/URL]: Migration to the
Journal.
Group
south and west is slowing, and those state populations are now not growing nearly as quickly as they were at the beginning of the decade,
according to population estimates released by the Census Bureau on Monday.
399
US
Housing
Market
400
Human
Health
401
Environment2008-12-23:
[IM1:398] Graphic shows a baby's brain at 35 weeks and 39 weeks of pregnancy. Melinda Beck, The Wall Stree Journal.
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/23/BAS914SOT2.DTL&hw=air+fails+to+meet&sn=001&sc=1000"]Bay Area
Environment2008-12-24: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/24/MNIR14PSQF.DTL&hw=carbon&sn=020&sc=1000"]S.F. fliers
Fails to Meet U.S. Standards - Wood Fires, Diesel Fuel Blamed[/URL]: The Bay Area's air quality does not meet federal standards for the fine
may pay their way in carbon usage[/URL]: San Francisco International Airport will soon offer carbon offset kiosks where fliers can purchase
flecks of soot and vapor, the EPA said Monday.
carbon offsets.
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
2008-12-23: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122998958990228333.html?mod=yahoo_hs&ru=yahoo&mg=com-wsj"]Seeking Signs of a
Recovery for Housing[/URL]: Home resales, which make up the majority of home sales, began to stabilize this fall, but the stabilization was due
in large part to a high rate of foreclosure sales. Pending home sales have fallen for two months in a row.
[im1:439]
Graphic shows seasonally adjusted new single-family home sales since 2000. Mark Gongloff, The Wall Street Journal.
2008-12-23: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122999215427128537.html"]New Research Shows Why Every Week of Pregnancy
Counts[/URL]: New research shows that the last few weeks of pregnancy are more important than previously thought for brain, lung and liver
development. For each week a baby stays in the womb between the 32nd and 39th weeks of pregnancy, there is a 23% reduction in problems
such as respiratory distress, jaundice, seizures, temperature instability and brain hemorrhages.
[IM1:403] Graphic shows examples of carbon offset costs for various lengths of round-trip flights. Michael Cabanatuan, The San Francisco
2008-12-25:
Chronicle.
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/26/health/policy/26clinics.html?scp=1&sq=a%20rise%20in%20health%20clinics&st=cse"]Expansion of
Clinics Shapes Bush Legacy[/URL]: During his presidency, Bush doubled federal financing for community health centers, leading to the
US
creation or expansion
2008-12-25:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/26/world/asia/26addiction.html"]Chinese
of 1,297 clinics that help underserved populations.
Savings Helped Inflate American Bubble[/URL]:
Economy Over
[IM1:409]
the past
Graphic
10 years,
showsChina
the demographic
has investedbreakdown
more than $1
of community
trillion in U.S.
health
government
center populations
bonds andand
government-backed
the U.S. population.
mortgage
Kevin Sack,
debt. These
The New
York Times. have led to lowered interest rates, which have helped promote excessive spending in the U.S. and the housing bubble.
investments
[IM1:422]
Graphic shows the total foreign holdings of government securities, along with China's holdings, and the 30-year fixed and 1-year adjustable
US
2008-12-26: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123024947406734259.html"]State Lotteries Show Big Declines[/URL]: Lottery sales across
mortgage rates. Mark Landler, The New York Times.
Economy the U.S. are down 2% from July through September compared with the same period in 2007. The lottery has historically been mostly
recession-proof.
[IM1:406]
Graphic shows total U.S. lottery sales and final lottery proceeds to states. Leslie Eaton, The Wall Street Journal.
2008-12-26: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123025036865134309.html"]Retail Sales Plummet[/URL]: Total retail sales, not including
automobiles, declined from the same period in 2007 by 5.5% in November and 8% in December through Christmas Eve.
[IM1:438]
Graphic shows year over year change in the holiday season retail sales. Ann Zimmerman, Jennifer Saranow and Miguel Bustillo, The Wall
Street Journal.
Energy - 2008-12-26:
Oil / Energy [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/26/BUBB14URPV.DTL&hw=state+fuel+prices&sn=011&sc=541"]Refinery woes
Overview push state gas prices up[/URL]: Gas prices rose about $0.08 a gallon to $1.82 last week after declining for months. The rise in price is not due
Religion
to an increase
2008-12-26:
According
in oil price,
to abut
poll
rather
by the
to Pew
problems
Forum
at on
California's
Religion and
gasoline
Public
refineries.
Life, 70% of Americans think that religions other than their own can
[IM1:405]
lead
to eternal
Graphic
life. shows average price per gallon of regular gasoline in California, various California cities and the nation since January 2008.
David Baker, The San Francisco Chronicle.
[IM1:443]
Graphic shows the breakdown of respondents that think that various religions can lead to eternal life. Breakdown is by religion of respondent
and by religion that can lead to eternal life. Charles Blow, The New York Times.
US
2008-12-27: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123033610871336369.html"]Retailers Brace for Major Change[/URL]: Retailers are planning
Economy to change their business strategies to weather the downturn.
[IM1:407]
Graphic shows the percentage of retailers with a high possibility of bankruptcy based on a survey by AlixPartners. Rachel Dodes, Ann
Simmerman and Jeffrey McCracken, The Wall Street Journal.
Immigration2008-12-27: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/27/us/27detain.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=dependent%20on%20jail&st=cse"]City of
Immigrants Fills Jail Cells With Its Own[/URL]: Congress has doubled spending on immigration detention in the last four years to $2.4 billion.
[IM1:404]
Graphic shows the number of immigration and custom detainees from 2005 to 2008 and the federal spending on detention and removal and
other Immigration and Customs Enforcement functions. Nina Bernstein, The New York Times.
Religion
2008-12-28: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/us/28priest.html?scp=1&sq=serving%20u.s.%20parishes&st=cse"]Serving U.S.
Parishes, Fathers Without Borders[/URL]: The number of Roman Catholics in the United States has grown at a faster rate than the number of
priests, leading to a shortage of priests in some areas. The growth in the number of Roman Catholics is due mainly to immigration of Hispanic
immigrants. Some areas are now recruiting priests from abroad.
[IM1:412]
Defense
2008-12-28: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/29/opinion/29ohanlon.html"]The State of Iraq: An Update[/URL] While violence continues
Graphic shows the number of Catholics, Seminarians and Priests since 1965. Laurie Goodstein, The New York Times.
Spending in Iraq, the population-protection program has been very successful.
and
[IM1:410]
Technology
Graphic shows various Iraq war metrics for November 2004, 2006 and 2008. Jason Campbell, The New York Times.
Human
Health
413
414
415
Environment2008-12-28:
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/29/MN4G14QMVE.DTL&hw=drillers+eye&sn=001&sc=1000"]Drillers eye oil
reserves off California coast[/URL]: The Interior Department is acting to open some or all federal waters, which begin 3 miles off shore and are
outside state control, for exploration as early as 2010. This would affect the waters off of the coast of California.
[IM1:408]
US
2008-12-29: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123050575158338075.html"]Discounts Not Enough to Revive Online Retail Sales[/URL]
Graphic shows the areas of interest along California's coast, along with the barrels of oil that could be produced. Jane Kay, The San Francisco
Economy Online spending was down 2% from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24, compared with a 5.5% to 8% drop in overall retail sales. The strength of online
Chronicle.
sales, however, was due to strong sales at a small number of websites, including Amazon.com, Apple and Wal-Mart.
[IM1:413]
Graphic shows the total weekly U.S. unique visitors to retail websites from Nov. 9 to Dec. 14 and the change from one year ago. Ben Worthen
*No Issue 2008-12-29: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/29/us/29homicide.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=murder%20black&st=cse"]Murders by Black
and Jessica Vascellaro, The Wall Street Journal.
Group
Teenagers Rise, Bucking a Trend[/URL]: The murder rate by black teenagers has risen since 2000.
[IM1:402] Graphic shows perpetrators and victims of homicide, black versus white, for the 14 - 17 year old age group.
416
*No Issue 2008-12-29:
Group
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/29/ED5D14VFUB.DTL&hw=congestion+pricing&sn=002&sc=876"]San
Francisco isn't London but it might be Paris[/URL]: Several bay area residents are against congestion pricing, for various reasons.
[IM1:441]
Graphic shows the areas in San Francisco being considered for congestion pricing (tolls for driving in certain areas). Open Forum, The San
Francisco Chronicle.
2008-12-22:
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/22/EDC814PD7L.DTL&hw=why+congestion+pricing&sn=001&sc=1000"]San
Francisco is not London[/URL]: San Francisco is considering implementing congestion pricing for cars driving in certain areas of the city during
certain times of the day. Many think that congestion pricing would hurt businesses in the short run and would not reduce congestion in the long
run.
[IM1:440]
Graphic shows commute patterns, population and area of London and San Francisco. Steve Falk, The San Francisco Chronicle.
To read the original article in the San Francisco Chronicle regarding congestion pricing, see
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/12/ED5S14LMO2.DTL&hw=congestion+pricing&sn=001&sc=1000"]Congestion
417
*No Issue 2008-12-29: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/29/MNN5150752.DTL&hw=fewer+police&sn=003&sc=564"]Fewer
Group
cops die in line of duty in 2008[/URL]: Fewer police officiers died in the line of duty in 2008 compared with 2007. The decline is attributed to
better training and tactics. More female police officers died in the line of duty compared with a year ago, attributed to the fact that women are
taking on more dangerous assignments than they did previously. Larry Margasak, The San Francisco Chronicle.
[IM1:411]
Graphic shows law enforcement officer deaths in the line of duty from 1958 to 2008.
418
US
Economy
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
To see the full research bulletin from The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, see
2008-12-30: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123059557755340975.html"]Banks to Post a Rare Quarterly Loss[/URL]: Banks are
[URL="http://www.nleomf.org/TheMemorial/Facts/2008_endyear_report.pdf"]Law Enforcement Officer Deaths Decline Sharply in 2008[/URL].
expected to post their first quarterly loss since 1990.
[IM1:421] Graphic shows the quarterly profit for banks since 2006. Robin Sidel, The Wall Street Journal.
Environment2008-12-30: [URL="http://sec.online.wsj.com/article/SB123059880241541259.html#articleTabs%3Darticle"]Green Goal of 'Carbon Neutrality'
/ Headline Hits Limit[/URL]: There is no universally accepted definition of what constitutes a company's "carbon footprint" which can lead to confusion
when a company claims to be "carbon neutral."
[IM1:415]
Graphic shows the emissions for Dell for one year, and the portions that Dell considers when attempting to be "carbon neutral." Jeffrey Ball,
US
2008-12-31: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123063852673142225.html"]Blue Chips Rise 184.46, Still Down 35%[/URL]: As of
The Wall Street Journal.
Economy December 30, 2008 was the third worst year on record for the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Bonds did better in 2008 than commodities.
[IM1:414]
Graphic shows the 10 worst years form the DJIA (in terms of % change) and the performance of bonds and commodities. Annelena Lobb and
Deborah Lynn Blumberg, The Wall Street Journal.
US
2008-12-31: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123064533193442343.html"]Home Prices Declined at Record Pace in October[/URL]: The
Housing
Case-Shiller home-price index fell 2.2% in October, now down 18% from one year ago. Sudeep Reddy, The Wall Street Journal.
Market
[DG:1951]
Graph shows the composite home price index since 1987.
For more home price data, see Data360's [URL="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=110"] S&P/Case-Shiller???®
Home Price Indices Report[/URL]
Sports / US 2008-12-31: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/01/business/smallbusiness/01sbiz.html?scp=1&sq=bikes&st=cse"]A Surge in Bicyclists
Economy Appears to Be Waiting [/URL]: Bicycle sales are down, after sales surged last summer. The decline is attributed to a decline in all retail sales,
declining gas prices, and increasing bicycle prices as material and shipping costs increase.
[IM1:446]
Graphic shows bicycle sales and passenger car and light truck sales since 1972. Jan Ellen Spiegel, The New York Times
US
2008-12-31:
Economy [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/31/BUPO151ET3.DTL&hw=consumer+confidence&sn=008&sc=1000"]Consumer
confidence index falls to new low[/URL]: Consumer confidence hit an all time low in December (since the index began in 1967).
*No Issue 2008-12-31:
[IM1:420] Graphic shows the consumer confidence index over the past year. Ellen Simon, Associated Press via The San Francisco Chronicle.
Group
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/31/MN4M14R22U.DTL&hw=911+help+arriving&sn=001&sc=1000"]S.F. 911
response is faster[/URL]: First responders are showing up late in only 1 out of 5 calls now, as compared with showing up late in 1 out of 4 calls
in the previous 4 years.
[IM1:418]
Environment2008-12-31:
Graphic shows the breakdown of late arrivals in previous years and in 2008. Jim Doyle, The San Francisco Chronicle.
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/31/MNGD150KFJ.DTL&hw=water+rationing&sn=002&sc=646"]Sierra
snowpack below normal, surveyors find[/URL]: Snow levels in the Sierra Nevada are below normal levels, despite recent storms.
[IM1:419]
Graphic shows various metrics regarding Sierra snow for 2006 through December 30, 2008. Kelly Zito, The San Francisco Chronicle.
US
2009-01-01: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123085577525247679.html"]Home-Mortgage Rates' Next Stop: Below 5%[/URL]: The
Housing
Federal Reserve plans to purchase half a trillion dollars of mortgage-backed securities by June 2009. This has boosted the mortgage-bond
Market
market. Higher mortgage-bond prices and lower yields lead to lower mortgage rates for borrowers.
Global
[IM1:417] Graphic
2009-01-02:
[URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123084176555847145.html"]Dollar's
shows fixed rates on 30-year mortgages since 2005. Prabha Natarajan,
Gain
The
Derives
Wall Street
FromJournal.
Pain[/URL]: Overall, the dollar did
Economy / better than it has since 1997 against other major currencies. Analysts say that the dollar's strength was not due to any strength in the U.S.
US
economy, but rather to forced dollar buying due to the dollar funding many things.
Economy [IM1:427]
Graphic shows the dollar's performance against other major currencies in 2008. Joanna Slater, The Wall Street Journal.
Global
2009-01-02: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123084433166547199.html"]Washington Is Key to Investors' Fate in '09[/URL]: Existing
Economy home sale volumes, liquidity returning to credit markets (seen in various ways, including investor attitudes toward Treasury bills), and
government moves (the Federal Reserves control of long-term rates through the purchase of securities, the allocations of remaining TARP
money, potential stimulus packages) will be key things to watch to gauge the economy in 2009.
[IM1:416]
Environment2009-01-02: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123085070980447477.html"]The Warming Earth Blows Hot, Cold and Chaotic[/URL]: 2008
Graphic shows the number of existing homes on the market. David Reilly, The Wall Street Journal.
was a cool year on Earth, though various studies show different findings based on different methodologies.
[IM1:447]
Graphic shows the North Pole's ice area in September of 1979, 1989, 1999 and 2008. Lee Hotz, The Wall Street Journal.
430
US
Housing
Market
431
US
Economy
432
US
Economy
433
Crime
2009-01-02: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123085781068147847.html"]Real-Estate Markets Still Plumb for Bottom[/URL]: 2008 was a
very bad year for the housing market, and experts expect the troubles in the housing market to continue in 2009. Housing prices fell 23% from
their peak in July 2006 to October 2008 (latest data available).
[IM1:426]
Graphic shows the S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index, the percentage of U.S.loans past due or in foreclosure, the national average sales
2009-01-02: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/03/business/03collect.html?hp"]Credit Card Companies Willing to Deal Over Debt [/URL]:
price per square foot by type of property and acquisition volume by type of property. Anton Troianovski, The Wall Street Journal.
Credit card companies are forgiving portions of consumers' debt in order to collect what the credit card companies can before conditions
worsen.
[IM1:434]
Graphic shows credit card debt outstanding and amount of credit card debt written off by banks from 1998 to 2008. Eric Dash, The New York
2009-01-02: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/03/business/economy/03econ.html?_r=1&ref=business"]Some Forecasters See a Fast
Times.
Economic Recovery [/URL]: Some forecasters predict that with a stimulus package of at least $675 billion over two years, that the economy
should start growing again by July 2009. Other forecasters disagree.
[IM1:432]
Graphic shows performance of the Dow on the first trading day of the year since 2003. Louis Uchitelle, The New York Times.
2009-01-02: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/02/MNEN1515TC.DTL"]S.F. struggles to stop, solve killings[/URL]:
There were 98 homicides in San Francisco in 2008, the same number of homicides as in 2007. 2007 had the highest number of homicides
since 1995.
[IM1:424]
Graphic shows the number of homicides in San Francisco by year since 1976.
[IM1:425]
Graphic shows a map of the locations of the homicides in San Francisco in 2008. Demian Bulwa, The San Francisco Chronicle.
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435
436
Retail / US 2009-01-03: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122969965719421799.html"]The Trials of the Auto Dealer [/URL]: The overall number of car
Economy dealerships is declining, led by closings of domestic auto company dealerships.
[IM1:433]
Graphic shows the total number of car dealerships from 1987 to 2009 (forecasted) and the 2002 to 2008 change in the number of car
dealerships for Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Nissan and Toyota. Kat Linebaugh, The Wall Street Journal.
Global
2009-01-03: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123094144619950373.html?mod=todays_us_page_one"]Manufacturing Tumbles
Economy Globally[/URL]: Manufactuing activity decline around the world in December. The decline in manufacturing will likely mean an increase in
unemployment around the world.
[IM1:429]
Graphic shows purchasing managers indexes in Japan, the U.S., the Euro Zone, the U.K., China and India for September through December
Global
2009-01-03:
of 2008. Kelley Evans and Robert Guy Matthews, The Wall Street Journal.
Economy [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/weekinreview/04traub.html?scp=1&sq=shaking%20up%20the%20boardroom&st=cse"]Shaking Up
the Boardroom at World Government Inc[/URL]: Many think that it is time to reshape the world's governing structures.
437
US
Economy
438
US
Economy
439
US
Economy
440
Crime /
Headline
441
Global
Economy
442
443
444
445
446
2009-01-03:
[URL="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/01/03/ST2009010300318.html?sid=ST2009010300318&s_pos=list"]U.S.
Debt Expected To Soar This Year[/URL]: The national debt is projected to increase by $2 trillion in 2009, as the United States continues to
borrow money to try to stimulate the economy.
[IM1:428]
2009-01-04: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123111184761652361.html?mod=googlenews_wsj"]One Fund in 1,700 Made Money in '08
Graphic shows the major foreign holders of U.S. Treasury securities. Lori Montgomery, The Washington Post.
[/URL]: One in 1,700 diversified U.S.-stock funds made a profit in 2008.
[IM1:436]
Graphic shows the average total return of U.S. diversified mutual stock funds by year. Suzanne McGee, The Wall Street Journal.
2009-01-04: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123111222434752379.html"]Fund Vs. Index: A 10-Year Streak [/URL]: At the start of 2008,
14 stock and balanced mutual funds had performed better than the S&P 500 index for 9 years in a row. Only one of those funds outperformed
the S&P 500 index in 2008.
[IM1:437] Graphic
2009-01-04:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/world/americas/05mexico.html?_r=1&scp=5&sq=kidnapping&st=cse"]Kidnappings
shows the 2008 performance of the funds that out performed the S&P 500 index for the 9 years prior to 2008, along with the
in
S&P 500Send
Mexico
index
Shivers
performance
Across for
Border[/URL]:
2008. KarenKidnappings
Damato, The
in Wall
Mexico
Street
often
Journal
aim to gain money from relatives in the United States.
[DG:2057]
Graph shows the recorded kidnappings per 100,000 people by country.
2009-01-05: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123073810362345691.html"]The State of the Nations[/URL]: Conditions are unstable all
over the global, due to the economy, war and other factors.
[IM1:430]
Graphic shows various stability statistics for Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, India, Pakistan and Israel. Robert Kaplan, The Wall Street
Journal.
US
2009-01-05: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123111072368352309.html"]Housing Push for Hispanics Spawns Wave of
Housing
Foreclosures[/URL]: From 2000 to 2007, Hispanic homeownership grew by 47% to 6.1 million, while national homeownership grew by 8%.
Market
[IM1:431]
Graphic shows number of mortgage loans, by type and race for 2004 through 2007. Susan Schmidt and Maurice Tamman, The Wall Street
Journal.
US
2009-01-05: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/06/business/06auto.html?scp=1&sq=automakers%20fear&st=cse"]Automakers Fear a
Economy New Normal of Low Sales[/URL]: Auto sales declined by 35% in December. Experts expect auto sales to be below normal levels until 2012 or
later.
[IM1:452]
Graphic shows annual car and light truck sales since 1980. Bil Vlasic and Nick Bunkley, The New York Times.
2009-01-05: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/06/health/06stat.html?scp=1&sq=accidental%20injuries&st=cse"]Accidental Injuries
Higher in Rural Areas[/URL]: Rural areas have a much higher rate of hospitalization for accidental injuries, though cities have a much higher
rate of hospitalizations from assaults.
[IM1:453]
Graphic shows the hospitalizations per 100,000 people in rural and urban areas. Nicholas Bakalar, The New York Times.
Human
2009-01-05:
Health
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/06/us/06healthcare.html?scp=1&sq=spending%20rise%20for%20health%20care&st=cse"]Spending
Rise for Health Care and Prescription Drugs Slows[/URL]: Prescription drug spending in 2007 grew at its lowest level since 1963, leading to
overall health spending in 2007 that grew at its lowest rate in 9 years.
[IM1:451]
US
2009-01-06: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123120956010956387.html?mod=article-outset-box"]What a Penny Saved Costs[/URL]:
Graphic shows the breakdown of national health spending in 2007, as well as the % change between 2006 and 2007 and 2005 and 2006.
Economy / Experts disagree on the amount that people should save. Consumers are expected to increase their savings rate over the coming months.
Robert Pear, The New York Times.
Headline [IM1:450]
Graphic shows the personal savings rate and personal consumption as a % of GDP since 1980. Sudeep Reddy, The Wall Street Journal.
447
US
Economy
448
Environment2009-01-06:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/07/us/07sludge.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=hundreds%20of%20coal%20ash&st=cse"]Hundreds of Coal
Ash Dumps Lack Regulation[/URL]: Coal ash dumps, which contain heavy metals that are considered dangerous by the EPA, are not subject
to any federal regulation.
[IM1:457]
Education 2009-01-06: [URL="http://www.tbf.org/utilitynavigation/multimedialibrary/newsdetail.aspx?id=9490"]New report documents progress by charter, can link to image go to image?
Graphic shows the location of coal or oil ash waste sites where ground water or wells have been contaminated with heavy metals and other
pilot schools in closing student achievement gap[/URL]: A new study released by The Boston Foundation shows that students who attend
toxic materials. Shaila Dewan, The New York Times.
charter schools do better than identical students who applied to a charter school but did not win a lottery to attend a charter school.
[IM1:458]
Graphic shows test scores in Boston at traditional public schools and at charter and pilot schools. The Boston Foundation.
US
2009-01-07: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123125893419357707.html"]Obama Pushes States to Cover More Unemployed [/URL]: As
Economy / a part of the economic stimulus plan, Barack Obama proposes offering states $7 billion to enable states to permanently change their
Headline unemployment insurance laws so that part-time workers and other workers that currently do not receive benefits will be covered. Others are
worried about the massive federal budget deficit that will result from Obama's proposal.
[DG:52]
*No Issue 2009-01-07:
Graph shows the federal government surplus / deficit since 1900 with projections to 2019. For all projections, see The Congressional Budget
Group
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/01/07/financial/f090151S60.DTL&hw=europe+gas&sn=001&sc=1000"]Russia
Office's [URL="http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/99xx/doc9957/01-07-Outlook.pdf"]The Budget and Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2009 to
stops all gas supply to Europe via Ukraine[/URL]: Russia has halted all gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine as of today.
2019[/URL]. To see more federal surplus / deficit data, see Data360's
[URL="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=31"]Federal Government Surplus (Deficit)[/URL] Graph Group.
2009-01-07: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/07/MNA0154O2N.DTL&hw=europe+gas&sn=004&sc=700"]Flow of
Russian natural gas to Europe cut[/URL]: A pricing dispute between Russia's Gazprom and Ukraine has led to a dramatic decline in the natural
gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine.
[IM1:454]
US
2009-01-08: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123137714796462913.html"]Big Slide in 401(k)s Spurs Calls for Change [/URL]: 401(k)
Graphic shows the major natural gas pipelines in Europe and the breakdown of natural gas imports by European country (% of total supplied
Economy asset values are down, in large part due to the stock market declines. Some analysts believe that the 401(k) system should be revised so that
by Russia, % via Ukraine pipelines, affected by cutoff, and current stockpile capacity and duration). Megan Stack and Sebastian Rotella, The
untrained individuals do not mis-manage their retirement accounts.
San Francisco Chronicle.
[IM1:460]
Graphic shows the total 401(k) assets from 2000 to 2008. Eleanor Laise, The Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-01-08: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123137829623663061.html"]Commercial Property Loses Shelter[/URL]: Mortgage
Housing
delinquencies were up for hotels, shopping malls and office buildings in Q4 2008.
Market /
[IM1:465]
US
Graphic shows the delinquency rates for office, industrial, hotels, retail and multifamily buildings. Lingling Wei, The Wall Street Journal.
Economy
Retail / US 2009-01-08: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/09/business/economy/09shop.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=judgement%20day&st=cse"]After
Economy Weak Holiday Sales, Retailers Prepare for Even Worse[/URL]: Retail sales were down in December, with some stores reporting huge declines.
[IM1:462]
Graphic shows the Goldman Sachs Retail Composite Index and December sales statistics for some large chain stores. Stephanie
Rosenbloom, The New York Times.
Human
2009-01-08: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/09/health/09Caesarean.html?scp=1&sq=elective%20cesarean&st=cse"]Early
Health
Caesareans Pose Risks to Newborns[/URL]: A new study finds that elective c-sections performed before 39 weeks increase the risk of
complications for infants.
[IM1:463]
Graphic shows portion of c-section deliveries in the sample population by week of gestation and the incidence of adverse medical conditions by
Human
2009-01-08: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/08/BAC51540IG.DTL"]Pre-birth maternity leave aids babies,
week of gestation. Keith Winstein, The New York Times.
Health
moms[/URL]: A new study led by UC Berkeley researchers suggests that women who do not take pre-birth maternity leave have a higher
incidence of cesarian sections. Jill Tucker, The San Francisco Chronicle
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
2009-01-06: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123128601819059077.html"]Many Taxpayers Stand to Gain From New Laws [/URL]:
President-elect Barack Obama proposed tax cuts in his economic stimulus plan.
[Im1:456]
Graphic shows the federal tax rate by income level for 2008 and 2009. Tom Herman, The Wall Street Journal.
To see a summary of the study, see [URL="http://www.whijournal.com/article/S1049-3867(08)00102-3/abstract"]Maternity Leave In The Ninth
US
2009-01-10:
Month of Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes Among Working Women[/URL]. Login is required to view the complete report.
Unemployment
[URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123150742539367897.html#project%3DUNEMPLOYMENT_BIG_0901%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]Yearly
Job Loss Worst Since 1945 [/URL]: The U.S. lost 2.5 million jobs in 2008. The U.S. had not lost that many jobs in a single year since 1945.
[IM1:469]
Graphic shows the monthly change in the number of non-farm jobs in 2007 and 2008. Kelly Evans and Kris Maher, The Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-01-12: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123172020818472279.html"]Obama Plans to Keep Estate Tax[/URL]: The estate tax was
Economy set to go away in 2010, but Obama and congressional leaders plan to block the estate tax from ending.
[IM1:461]
Graphic shows the net estate tax collected from 1995 to 2007. Jonathan Weisman, The Wall Street Journal.
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
Retail / US 2009-01-12: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123172160917772419.html"]Inventory Traffic Jam Hits Chrysler[/URL]: Chrysler's inventory
Economy is up due to slow sales, leading dealers to not order new cars.
[IM1:466] Graphic shows the average number of days a vehicle sits on the lot before being sold for 2007 and 2008 by auto maker. Kate
Crime /
Linebaugh, The Wall Street Journal.
2009-01-12:
Immigration [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/12/us/12prosecute.html?scp=1&sq=focus%20on%20immigration%20crimes&st=cse"]Push on
/ Headline Immigration Crimes Is Said to Shift Focus[/URL]: Federal prosecutions of immigration crimes doubled in 2008. Many think that the allocation of
resources to prosecuting immigration is not worth the strain that it puts on the prosecution of other crimes.
[IM1:464]
Crime
2009-01-12:
Graphic shows federal prosecutions of immigration, drug, weapon and white collar crimes from 1990 to 2008. Solomon Moore, The New York
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/12/MNLU156OAF.DTL&hw=crime+cameras&sn=001&sc=1000"]S.F. spy
Times.
cameras no help in violent crime[/URL]: A new study released by the UC Center for Information Technology Research in Interest of Society
found that San Francisco's surveillance cameras succeed in reducing burglary, pick-pocketing and purse snatching, but do not succeed in
reducing homicides and other violent crimes.
Human
2009-01-13: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123179145452274561.html?mod=todays_us_page_one"]Surgeon Shortage Pushes
Health
Hospitals to Hire Temps [/URL]: Some hospitals are shifting toward hiring temporary surgeons as more surgeons move to higher paying
For the full report, see [URL="http://www.citris-uc.org/files/CITRIS%20SF%20CSC%20Study%20Final%20Dec%202008.pdf"]Citris Report: The
specialty fields.
San Francisco Community Safety Camera Program - An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of San Francisco's Community Safety Cameras[/URL].
[IM1:470]
Graphic shows the number of general surgeons per capita from 1981 to 2005. Vanessa Fuhrmans, The Wall Street Journal.
Global
2009-01-13: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123180425194675361.html"]Freedom Is Still the Winning Formula[/URL]: The Wall Street
Economies Journal and The Heritage Foundation published 2009's Index of Economic Freedom. Countries that give more economic freedom tend to have
higher national income.
[IM1:467]
Graphic shows the 2009 Index of Economic Freedom. Terry Miller, The Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-01-13: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123180959443775847.html"]Number of Homes Listed For Sale Fell in December[/URL]:
Housing
The number of homes for sale in metro areas fell in December, though the decline was below the normal level of decline for December.
Market
[IM1:468]
Graphic shows the homes for sale, % of homes whose price has been reduced, and the % change in the number of homes listed for sale.
James Hagerty, The Wall Street Journal.
Environment2009-01-13: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123181056426575945.html"]First Offshore Wind Farm is Meeting Stiff Resistance [/URL]:
/ Energy - The Cape Wind project will build 130 windmills off of Cape Cod in the area of Nantucket Sound. There is disagreement regarding the
Alternative importance of the environmental benefits vs. the damage to the aesthetics and recreation in the area.
[IM1:471]
Graphic shows the wind-power potential hot spots in the United States. Stephen Power, The Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-01-13:
Economy [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/14/business/14citi.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=citigroup%20plans%20to%20split&st=cse"]Citigroup Plans to
Split Itself Up, Taking Apart the Financial Supermarket [/URL]: Citigroup plans to split into two entities, and to sell or spin off certain portions of
their business.
[IM1:475]
Global
2009-01-14: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123182687755776799.html?mg=com-wsj"]Global Trade Posts Sharp Decline[/URL]:
Graphic shows the proposed split of Citigroup. Eric Dash, The New York Times.
Economies Imports and exports among countries around the world are declining. U.S. imports and exports dropped 18% from July to November.
[IM1:472]
Graphic shows the imports and exports in the U.S. and China since January 2007. Belly Evans, John Miller and Mei Fong, The Wall Street
Journal.
Energy - 2009-01-14: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/business/worldbusiness/15oil.html?ref=business"]Where Is Oil Going Next?[/URL]:
Oil / US
2008 was oil's most volatile year since 1990.
Economy [IM1:477]
Graphic shows the number of days that the price of oil changed 5% or more since 1988. Clifford Krauss, The New York Times.
*No Issue 2009-01-14: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/13/MNTG159HHG.DTL&type=politics&tsp=1"]Obama will end
Group
'don't ask' policy, aide says[/URL]: Obama plans to end the policy that has discouraged homosexual and bisexual men from serving in the U.S.
military.
[IM1:473]
Graphic shows the results of a 2006 Zogby poll that that collected the opinions regarding gays and lesbians in the military of current and recent
Education 2009-01-14:
military personnel serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Matthew Stannard, The San Francisco Chronicle.
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/14/MNS4159KA4.DTL&hw=grab+for+school&sn=001&sc=1000"]Governor
makes a grab for state school funds[/URL]: Legislators are debating the amount due to schools based on Prop. 98.
[Im1:474]
Graphic shows the per student funding in the top 10 and bottom 10 states. Matthew Yi and Nanette Asinov, The San Francisco Chronicle.
US
2009-01-15: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/16/us/politics/16bush.html?scp=1&sq=a%20somber%20bush&st=cse"]A Somber Bush
Economy Says Farewell to the Nation[/URL]: President Bush delievered a somber final address to the nation.
[IM1:484]
Graphic shows the state of the U.S. in 2000 (before Bush entered office) and in 2008. Sheryl Gay Stolberg, The New York Times.
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Economy
2009-01-15:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/16/us/politics/16stimulus.html?scp=1&sq=senate%20releases%20second%20portion%20of%20bailout%20fund&st=cse"]Senate
Releases Second Portion of Bailout Fund[/URL]: The senate voted to release the second half of the financial industry bailout.
[IM1:479]
Graphic shows the breakdown of the $825 billion recovery package. David Herszenhorn, The New York Times.
Retail / US 2009-01-15:
Economy [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/15/MNSI15A8JO.DTL&hw=retail+sales+drop&sn=005&sc=512"]U.S. retail
sales fell 2.7% in December[/URL]: Seasonally adjusted retail sales fell by 2.7% in December from the previous month.
[IM1:491]
Graphic shows seasonally adjusted retail sales since December 2007. Victoria Colliver, The San Francisco Chronicle.
Environment2009-01-17: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123211817360590363.html"]Bush Seeks Offshore Drilling in Former Off-Limits Areas[/URL]:
As one of its last actions, the Bush administration proposed allowing drilling for oil and natural gas in previously prohibited areas off the U.S.
coasts.
[IM1:480]
Graphic shows the offshore areas that could be opened for off-shore drilling. Stephen Power, The Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-01-17: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123215464506692371.html"]Officials Tempted By Alcohol Taxes[/URL]: Some states are
Economy attempting to increase taxes on alcohol to raise more money.
[IM1:488]
Graphic shows alcohol sales-tax revenue as a percentage of total sales-tax revenue for five states. David Kesmodel, The Wall Street Journal.
*No Issue 2009-01-17: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/18/business/18count.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=safe%20to%20say&st=cse"]Safe to Say,
Group /
He???????s Not in It for the Paycheck[/URL]: Obama will make $400,000 a year as president. The presidential salary has increased only five
Headline times since George Washington took office, making $25,000, in 1789.
[IM1:486]
Graphic shows the president's annual salary since 1789. Phyllis Korkki, The New York Times.
US
2009-01-17: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/18/business/18hedge.html?scp=1&sq=hedge%20funds,%20unhinged&st=cse"]Hedge
Economy Funds, Unhinged[/URL]: Two out of three hedge funds lost money in 2008.
[IM1:489]
Graphic shows a subset of the number of hedge funds and hedge fund profitability by year. Louise Story, The New York Times.
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US
Economy /
Public
Opinion
479
US
Economy
480
US
2009-01-18:
Economy / [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/19/us/19recruits.html?scp=1&sq=more%20americans%20joining%20military&st=cse"]More Americans
US
Joining Military as Jobs Dwindle [/URL]: All active and reserve military forces met or exceeded their recruitment goals in the last fiscal year for
Employmentthe first time since 2004.
/ US
[IM1:482]
Human
2009-01-19: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/health/research/20stat.html?scp=1&sq=births%20on%20the%20rise&st=cse"]Trends
Unemployment
Graphic shows the breakdown of the actual and goal personnel levels by military segment. Lizette Alverez, The New York Times.
Health
Shift, With Births on the Rise [/URL]: More babies were born in 2006 than in any other year since 1961.
[IM1:487]
Graphic shows the number of live births since 1930, live births by race of mother for 2006, teenage birth rate since 1970, prenatal care by race
of mother for 2006 and unmarried birth rate since 1970. Nicholas Bakalar, The New York Times.
US
2009-01-20: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123241580264896477.html#project%3DINHERIT09%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]A Country
Economy on the Cusp of Change [/URL]: Obama's approaches to the country's problems will be shaped by the current state of the nation.
[IM1:478]
Graphic shows various metrics regarding the state of the nation when Carter, Regan, H.W. Bush, Clinton, Bush and Obama took office. Conor
Dougherty, The Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-01-20: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/21/business/economy/21leonhardt.html"]The Economy Is Bad, but 1982 Was Worse
Economy / [/URL]: The current economy is not as bad as the economy of 1982. The percentage of people that were unemployed and underemployed was
Headline much higher in 1982.
[IM1:476]
Graphic shows unemployed, discouraged and underemployed workers since 1970 and the number of months required to reach pre-recession
Environment2009-01-21: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/business/22pepsi.html?em"]How Green Is My Orange? [/URL]: PepsiCo figured out
employment levels for the past several recessions. David Leonhardt, The New York Times.
the carbon footprint of a half gallon container of Tropicana orange juice (Tropicana is owned by PepsiCo).
[IM1:499]
Graphic shows the breakdown of the 3.75 pound carbon dioxide equivalent of a one half gallon container of Tropicana orange juice. Andrew
Martin, The New York Times.
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2009-01-17:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/18/us/politics/18poll.html?scp=1&sq=poll%20finds%20faith%20in%20obama%20mixed%20with&st=cse"]Poll
Finds Faith in Obama, Mixed With Patience [/URL]: Polls show that people are optimistic about Obama, but think that fixing some of our
economy's problems will take at least two years.
[IM1:483]
2009-01-18: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/19/business/economy/19debt.html?scp=1&sq=cost%20of%20borrowing&st=cse"]Cost of
Graphic shows poll results for several factors regarding the health of the U.S. Adam Nagourney and Majorie Connelly, The New York Times.
Borrowing Zooms Up for Corporations [/URL]: Interest rates are up for corporations, making it harder for corporations to pay their debts.
[IM1:481]
Graphic shows the corporate debt issuance and corporate debt yield since 2005. Jack Healy and Vikas Bajaj, The New York Times.
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2009-01-21:
Health / US [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/22/us/22medicaid.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Growing%20need%20for%20medicaid&st=cse"]Growing
Economy Need for Medicaid Strains States [/URL]: Medicaid enrollments are rising, causing problems for some states' budgets.
[IM1:495]
Graphic shows U.S. change in medicaid enrollments by year and the percentage change in enrollment from 2007 to 2008 for the states with
US
2009-01-22: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/business/23bank.html?scp=1&sq=smaller%20banks%20losses&st=cse"]Smaller
the highest increases in enrollment. Kevin Sack and Katie Zezima, The New York Times.
Economy Banks??????? Losses Expected to Bring Mergers [/URL]: Many smaller banks are losing money due to their business lending money to
commercial real estate developers, home builders and small corporations. This may lead to several mergers.
[IM1:498]
Graphic shows the money released from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to large and small banks. Two thirds of the funds have
Global
2009-01-22:
gone to the U.S.'s eight largest banks, while the remaining one third has been used in part to encourage mergers among smaller banks. Eric
Economies [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/business/worldbusiness/23yuan.html?pagewanted=1&%2339&%2359;s%20route%20forward&sq=China&st=cse&scp=1"]China???????s
Dash, The New York Times.
/ Headline Route Forward[/URL]: China has begun spending hundreds of billions of dollars on infrastructure projects including highways and railroads.
[IM1:497]
Graphic shows the number of miles of U.S. interstates and Chinese expressways by year. Keith Bradsher, The New York Times.
Environment2009-01-22:
/ Headline [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/23/science/earth/23warm.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=environmental%20issues%20slide%20in%20poll%20of%20public&st=cse"]Environmental
Issues Slide in Poll of Public???????s Concerns[/URL]: A new poll by the Pew Research Center suggests that fewer people consider the
environment or global warming to be a top priority as compared with one year ago.
[IM1:496]
Environment2009-01-22: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/22/MN8015E0U9.DTL"]All Antarctica seems to be warming, report
Graphic shows the percentage of people that ranked the economy, jobs, the environment, energy, and global warming as a top priority. Andrew
says[/URL]: Previous signs showed that Antarctica cooled over the last 50 years. New data shows that Antarctica is now warming.
Revkin, The New York Times.
[IM1:493]
Graphic shows the warming zones of Antarctica. David Perlman, The San Francisco Chronicle.
US
Housing
Market
2009-01-22: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/22/MNBG15EFC6.DTL&hw=carolyn+said&sn=003&sc=787"]Home
sales soar as foreclosures drive down prices[/URL]: Half of the homes sold in the bay area in December were foreclosures.
[IM1:494]
Graphic shows existing single-family home sales, median price and % change in median price, and percentage of homes sold that were
previously foreclosed upon by county for the bay area. Carolyn Said, The San Francisco Chronicle.
Technology 2009-01-22: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/22/MNRD15EOH7.DTL"]Nearly 38 million watched inaugural on
TV[/URL]: More people watched Obama's inauguration on TV than watched any other inauguration on TV since Regan's first inauguration in
1981.
[IM1:492]
Graphic shows the TV inauguration household ratings for inaugurations since 1969. Joe Garofoli, The San Francisco Chronicle.
*No Issue 2009-01-23: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/23/MNGD15FFBN.DTL&tsp=1"]S.F. warned to revamp water
Group
system for disaster[/URL]: A report released today warns that over $400 million is needed to upgrade, rehabilitate and expand San Francisco's
emergency water system.
[IM1:500]
Graphic shows the layout of San Francisco's emergency water system. Marisa Lagos, The San Francisco Chronicle.
US
2009-01-23: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/01/23/state/n091441S42.DTL&tsp=1"]California unemployment rate
Employmentjumps to 9.3 percent[/URL]: The California unemployment rate climbed to 9.3% in December from 8.4% in November. December's
Global
2009-01-24: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123270368703309883.html?mg=com-wsj"]U.K. Economy Falls Into Recession [/URL]: The
unemployment rate is California's highest unemployment rate since 1994. Samantha Young, Associate Press via The San Francisco Chronicle.
Economies U.K. has experienced two consecutive quarters of GDP contraction.
[IM1:505]
Graphic shows the percentage change in the U.K. GDP over time. Laurence Norman and Alistair MacDonald, The Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-01-24: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123275804805311965.html"]Bear Market for Charities[/URL]:Charities, including Harlem
Economy / Children's Zone, are seeing a decline in revenue due to the declining economy.
Philanthropy[IM1:502]
Graphic shows the number of U.S. charities from 1997 to 2007 and the sources of corporate donations for charities in 2007. Mike Spector, The
Wall Street Journal.
Technology 2009-01-24: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/weekinreview/25stelter.html?scp=1&sq=into%20laptops&st=cse"]Streaming Onto the
Mall, and Into Laptops [/URL]: It is harder to estimate the number of people that watched inauguration this year due to the increasing popularity
of viewing events online, on youtube, and via other outlets.
[IM1:504]
Graphic shows the number of people that "experienced" inauguration, by type of "experience." Brian Stelter and Noam Cohen, The New York
US
2009-01-26: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/business/economy/27econ.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=home%20sales&st=cse"]Home
Times.
Housing
Sales Better Than Expected in December [/URL]: Existing home sales increased 6.5% in December as compared with November. The
Market
increased home sales are likely due to declining home prices.
[IM1:506]
Graphic shows existing home sales and the median price of existing homes. Alan Zibel, The Associated Press, via The New York Times.
US
2009-01-26: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/business/economy/27layoffs.html?scp=1&sq=layoffs%20spread&st=cse"]Layoffs
Economy / Spread to More Sectors of the Economy[/URL]: Companies cut over 75,000 jobs in the U.S. and globally on Monday.
Headline / [IM1:508]
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US
2009-01-26: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/education/27college.html?scp=1&sq=endowments&st=cse"]Data Show College
Economy / Endowments Loss Is Worst Drop Since ???????70s[/URL]: The value of college endowments declined an average of 23% from July to
Education November 2008.
[IM1:507]
Graphic shows the changes in the size of endowments by the total size of the endowment. Katie Zezima, The New York Times.
US
2009-01-26: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/26/BU5315D7EF.DTL&hw=google&sn=001&sc=1000"]Google
Economy / growing its ad revenue[/URL]: Google is increasing the locations, number and frequency of ads.
Headline [IM1:501]
Technology Graphic shows Google's quarterly revenue since 2006. Verne Kopytoff, The San Francisco Chronicle.
Environment2009-01-27:[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/27/MNGA15H8JT.DTL&hw=obama+plunges&sn=001&sc=1000"]Obama:
U.S. done 'dragging heels' on climate[/URL]: President Obama urged the EPA to immediately review its 2007 decision to not allow California to
regulate its own greenhouse gas emissions.
[IM1:509]
Graphic shows states with tough emission standards and the fuel economy standards of the federal government, and California's proposed
standards. Matthew Yi, Wyatt Buchanan, The San Francisco Chronicle.
2009-01-24: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123276384388012393.html"]Emissions Fight Squeezes Obama[/URL]: Obama is under
pressure to make a decision regarding whether states can impose their own greenhouse gas emission rules on cars.
[IM1:503]
Graphic shows the states that have adopted regulations on auto greenhouse gas emissions and locations of automobile assembly plants.
States that adop auto greenhouse gas emission policies generally do not have automobile assembly plants. Stephen Power, The Wall Street
Journal.
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US
Economy
2009-01-28: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123307183916519783.html"]Stimulus Bill Near $900 Billion [/URL]: The current economic
stimulus package in the Senate is reaching $900 billion.
[IM1:512]
Graphic shows how some of the spending will be spread across the states by type of spending. Greg Hitt and Elizabeth Williamson, The Wall
Street Journal.
2009-01-27:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/business/economy/28leonhardt.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=stimulus%20plan%20has%20merit&st=cse"]A
Stimulus With Merit, and Misses Too[/URL]
[IM1:513]
Graphic shows the spending proposed in the stimulus bill by year and the discretionary spending by department. David Leonhardt, The New
York Times.
503
US
2009-01-28: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123307958229020395.html"]Unemployment Rises in Every State [/URL]: Unemployment
Unemployment
rates increased in every state in December, with the worst joblessness in the West and Midwest.
[IM1:511]
Graphic shows the severity of the 12-month net change in unemployment. Interactive Graphic. Conor Dougherty, The Wall Street Journal.
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Global
2009-01-28: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123308314993520583.html#articleTabs=article"]Global Search for Growth Will Turn to
Economies U.S.[/URL]: Analysts at the World Economic Forum expect stimulus packages around the globe to help the economy, along with spending by
U.S. consumers, though U.S. consumers are expected to spend less than in recent years.
[IM1:514]
Interactive graphic shows the inflation rate, unemployment rate and GDP growth historically and forecasted for several major countries, as well
Human
2009-01-29: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/us/30suicide.html?scp=1&sq=suicides%20of%20soldiers&st=cse"]Suicides of Soldiers
as performance of benchmark indexes, currencies and oil since Jan. 2008. Joellen Perry and Shen Hong, The Wall Street Journal.
Health
Reach High of Nearly 3 Decades[/URL]: Suicides among soldiers rose for the forth year in a row. The army suicide rate surpassed that of
civilians.
[IM1:516]
Graphic shows the suicides among soldiers since 2003. Lizette Alvarez, The New York Times.
US
2009-01-30: [URL="http://images.businessweek.com/ss/09/01/0129_numbers/index.htm"]Corporate Failures: The Worst May be Yet to
Economy / Come[/URL]: S&P forecasts a large increase in corporate bond defaults in 2009, which will likely mean a large increase in bankruptcies.
Headline [IM1:533]
Graphic shows the largest corporate bankruptcies.
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[IM1:532]
Graphic shows the total assets of public companies that declared bankruptcy by year. Tara Kalwarski and Laurel Dauni-Allen, Business Week.
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Environment2009-01-30:
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/30/MNC615JNHB.DTL&hw=worst+drought&sn=001&sc=1000"]Severe drought
expected after mild January[/URL]: Sierra Nevada snowpack is at 61% of its normal level and reservoir levels are falling.
[IM1:518]
Graphic shows reservoir levels by reservoir for 2007, 2008 and 2009.
[IM1:519]
Graphic shows the percentage of normal snow content in the California mountains. Kelly Zito, The San Francisco Chronicle.
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US
2009-02-01:
Unemployment
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/us/02welfare.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=welfare%20system%20failing%20to%20grow&st=cse"]Welfare
/ Headline Aid Isn't Growing as Economy Drops Off [/URL]: Unemployment is climbing, but welfare cash assistance is near its lowest level in 40 years.
[IM1:515]
Graphic shows a map of the change in cash welfare and food stamp recipients by state as well as the change in unemployment rate versus the
US
2009-02-02: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/business/economy/02markets.html?scp=1&sq=february%20blues&st=cse"]February
change in cash welfare recipients for selected states. Jason Deparle, The New York Times.
Economy Blues After the Worst of Januarys[/URL]: The stock market decline in January, after a bad 2008.
[IM1:517]
Graphic shows the percentage change in the S&P500 in January 2009 by industry.
Global
2009-02-02:
Economies [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/03/business/worldbusiness/03yuan.html?scp=1&sq=chinese%20are%20spending&st=cse"]In Shift,
Chinese Move More Money Overseas[/URL]: People in China are spending more money overseas than in previous years.
[IM1:521]
Graphic shows China's foreign reserves and change in foreign reserves. Keith Bradshier, The New York Times.
Retail / US 2009-02-03: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/04/business/04auto.html?scp=1&sq=automobile%20industry&st=cse"]Auto Sales Start
Economy 2009 at an Abysmal Pace[/URL]: New vehicle sales declined 37% in January 2009, making it the worst month for auto sales since 1982.
[IM1:522]
Graphic shows car and light truck sales for Jan. 2008 and Jan. 2009 and Jan. 2009 sales by automaker along with % change and market share
by automaker. Nick Bunkley, The New York Times.
Immigration2009-02-03: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/04/us/04raids.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=despite%20vow&st=cse"]Target of Immigrant Raids
Shifted[/URL]: The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency pursued easier to find targets rather than the most dangerous targets in its
deportation round ups over the past couple of years.
[IM1:520]
Graphic shows the National Fugitive Operations Program budget and fugitive arrests by criminal record status from 2003 - 2008. Nina
Environment2009-02-03: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/04/us/04transit.html?scp=1&sq=rider%20paradox&st=cse"]Rider Paradox: Surge in
Bernstein, The New York Times.
Mass, Drop in Transit[/URL]: Transit systems across the U.S. are raising fares and cutting service despite increased ridership due to a
decrease in tax revenue.
[IM1:525]
Graphic shows mass transit statistics for six cities. Michael Cooper, The New York Times.
US
2009-02-03: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/03/BUFC15LT56.DTL"]Bay homes lost $202 billion in value in
Housing
2008[/URL]: According to zillow.com, bay area home values dropped by $202 billion in 2008 to a median value of $503,397.
Market /
[IM1:523]
Headline Graphic shows the percentage change in value of homes by area. Note that certain areas actually increased in value in 2008, something I
describe as ???amplification,??? the concept that in today???„?s world of the internet, trends are amplified. Bad things suffer more greatly
US
2009-02-04:
today than in the past and good things do better than in the past. I can???„?t prove it with data, but my sense is that it is accurate. Carolyn
Economy [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/05/us/politics/05pay.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=executive%20pay%20corporate%20culture&st=cse"]In
Said, The San Francisco Chronicle
Curbing Pay, Obama Seeks to Alter Corporate Culture[/URL]: President Obama announced limits on executive pay for companies that accept
bailout money.
[IM1:528]
US
2009-02-05: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123384511136052427.html"]GOP Wields More Influence Over the Stimulus Bill[/URL]: The
Graphic shows the old pay and the new proposed pay for top executives at Bank of America, Citigroup and General Motors. Stephen Labaton
Economy Republicans are having more influence over Obama's proposed economic-stimulus plan in the Senate.
and Vikas Bajaj, The New York Times.
[IM1:526]
Graphic shows poll results regarding support for the economic-stimulus plan. Greg Hitt, The Wall Street Journal.
Retail
2009-02-05: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/business/06retail.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=sales%20fall&st=cse"]Sales Fall Sharply for
Retailers Not Named Wal-Mart[/URL]: Retail sales fell 1.6% in January compared with January 2008.
[IM1:530]
Graphic shows the Goldman Sachs retail composite index and sales and change in sales for select retailers. Stephanie Rosenbloom, The New
York Times.
US
2009-02-05: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/business/06women.html?scp=1&sq=as%20layoffs%20surge&st=cse"]As Layoffs
Unemployment
Surge, Women May Pass Men in Job Force[/URL]: The number of women may soon surpass the number of men in the workforce due to recent
job losses.
[IM1:531]
Graphic shows job gains and losses for women and men in 2008 and the share of jobs for women and men prior to 2008. Catherine Rampell,
US
2009-02-05: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/05/BUEV15NVPT.DTL"]Revealing glimpse of San Francisco office
The New York Times.
Economy market[/URL]: San Francisco office buildings have many vacancies. Rent in "Class A" buildings cost a average of $45.87 / SF at the end of
2008, which was down 10.7% from the beginning of 2008.
[IM1:527]
Graphic shows the vacancies in major office buildings in San Francisco. James Temple, The San Francisco Chronicle.
US
2009-02-06: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123384067190252139.html"]States' Jobless Funds Run Low[/URL]: Some states are
Unemployment
running out of money to pay unemployment benefits. Seven states have already run out of unemployment insurance trust funds, and eleven
other states are in danger of running out of unemployment insurance funds by the end of 2009.
[IM1:529]
Graphic shows initial jobless claims since 1980. Valerie Bauerlein, The Wall Street Journal.
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US
2009-02-06: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123392627601156735.html?mod=article-outset-box"]Recession Job Losses Surpass Three
Unemployment
Million[/URL]: A total of 3.6 million jobs have been lost since the beginning of the recession (December 2007) bringing the unemployment level
/ Headline to 7.6% - its highest level since 1992. Brian Blackstone, The Wall Street Journal.
[DG:340]
Graph shows the change in nonfarm payroll employees since February 2006. For more unemployment data, see Data360's
US
[URL="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"]U.S.
2009-02-07:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/business/08feed.html?scp=1&sq=Farm%20life%20subsidized&st=cse"]Farm
Employment Overview Report.[/URL]
Living
Employment(Subsidized by a Job Elsewhere)[/Url]: The number of farms in the U.S. increased 4% between 2002 and 2007. The majority of the new farms
are small, part-time farms.
[IM1:537]
Graphic shows a map of the change in the number of farms from 2002 to 2007. Andrew Martin, The New York Times.
Taxes
2009-02-07:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/business/yourtaxes/08lede.html?scp=1&sq=changes%20up%20and%20down&st=cse"]Changes,
Up and Down the Ladder[/URL]: Most households that make less than $500,000 will see a reduction in taxes for the next year.
[IM1:534]
Graphic shows the percentage of people within different income levels that would receive a tax cut or a tax increase. Edmund Andrews, The
US
2009-02-07: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/us/08lehigh.html?_r=1&em"]In Florida, Despair and Foreclosures[/URL]: During the
New York Times.
Housing
housing boom, houses were built in previously under developed areas outside of major metro areas. Now that the housing market is on the
Market
decline, these recently developed areas are suffering.
[IM1:538]
Graphic shows data about Lehigh Acres, a newly developed area outside of Fort Meyers, Florida. Homes in this area are now selling for
US
2009-02-08: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123414690415262141.html?mg=com-wsj"]Pent-Up Demand Could Quickly Pull Economy
one-third of what they cost to build. Damien Cave, The New York Times.
Economy Out of Its Hole[/URL]: History shows that the economy sometimes has a quick turnaround following a downturn.
[IM1:536]
Graphic shows percentage change in non-farm payrolls and change in final sales of gross domestic product for the 1980 recession and the
current recession. Justin Lahart, The Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-02-08: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/09/business/09analyst.html?scp=1&sq=why%20analysts%20keep&st=cse"]Why Analysts
Economy / Keep Telling Investors to Buy[/url]: Analysts have continued to urge investors to buy despite the declining market.
Headline [IM1:535]
Graphic shows the percentage of stocks that analysts recommend investors hold, buy and sell. Jack Healy and Michael Grynbaum, The New
York Times.
US
2009-02-09: [URL="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2008/11/price-to-rent-ratio.html"]Price-to-Rent Ratio[/URL]: The price-to-rent ratio is
Housing
declining due to falling housing prices and rising rents.
Market /
[IM1:539]
Headline Graphic shows the ratio of the Case-Shiller National Home Price Index to the national Owners' Equivalent Rent from the BLS.
This analysis is based on an article originally published in June 2005 in The Economist,
[URL="http://www.data360.org/pdf/20090212060556.The%20Global%20Housing%20Boom%20-%20The%20Economist%20June%2018th.pdf"]The
Global Housing Market - In Come the Waves[/url].
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Retail
2009-02-09:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/your-money/credit-and-debit-cards/10private.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=losses%20mount&st=cse"]Losses
Mount on Credit Cards for Retailers[/URL]: Delinquencies are rising fast on private label (retail) credit cards.
[IM1:541]
Graphic shows credit card losses as a percentage of total outstanding for private label and prime credit cards and the largest private label
Global
2009-02-10: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123416442559062807.html"]China Seeks a New Market in Its Own Backyard[/URL]: China
issuers. Tara Siegel Bernard, The New York Times.
Economies is trying to encourage consumption in rural China in order to boost the economy.
[IM1:542]
Graphic shows durable goods ownership by rural Chinese households in 1990 and in 2007. Mei Fong and Jason Leow, The Wall Street
Journal.
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Global
2009-02-10: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123422498863665615.html?mg=com-wsj"]Slowdown Hits Emerging Markets[/URL]:
Economies Emerging economies are contracting, according to recent data.
[IM1:540]
Graphic shows annual change in inflation adjusted GDP in some emerging markets and the change in the strength of currencies in emerging
markets against the U.S. dollar. Joanna Slater and Antonio Regalado, The Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-02-10: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/11/business/economy/11bailout.html?_r=1&dbk"]Bailout Plan: $2.5 Trillion and a Strong
Economy / U.S. Hand[/URL]: The bailout plan announced Tuesday by the Treasury Secretary is larger than predicted, with a strong government hand in
Headline markets and banks. The Federal Reserve will print money to cover some of the cost.
[IM1:544]
Graphic shows the ways that TARP funds were committed under the Bush administration and the new ways that funds will be divided. Stephen
US
2009-02-10:
Labaton and Edmund Andrews, The New York Times
Economy [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/11/business/economy/11leonhardt.html?scp=1&sq=to%20save%20or%20to%20spend&st=cse"]To
Spend or to Save? Trick Question[/URL]: Too much consumer spending contributed to causing the current financial crisis, but consumer
spending is needed to get us out of the financial crisis. The personal savings rate has been declining since the early 1980's, but began to rise
last year. David Leonhardt, The New York Times.
*No Issue 2009-02-11:[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/11/MN9U15RG0N.DTL&hw=rate+going+up&sn=002&sc=863"]First-class
[DG:781]
Group
stamp rate going up a lick: 2 cents[/URL]: The cost of a first class stamp will rise from $0.42 to $0.44 on May 11, 2009. Randolph Schmid, The
Graph shows the personal savings rate.
San Francisco Chronicle.
[DG:1195]
Graph shows the nominal and CPI adjusted cost of a first class stamp from 1932 to May 2009.
Retail
2009-02-12: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/13/business/economy/13econ.html?scp=1&sq=retail%20sales&st=cse"]Retail Sales Up 1
Percent in January[/url]: After declining for 6 months, retail sales rose 1% in January, fueled by large discounts.
[IM1:550]
Graphic shows retail and food service sales. Jack Healy, The New York Times.
US
Economy
2009-02-12: Inflation and Deflation - The U.S. Money Supply and the C.P.I.
[DG:2060]
Graph shows dramatic increase in money supply at the same time that CPI has decreased (meaning we are experiencing mild deflation). We
find it hard to believe that this printing of money will not have long term negative consequences, either in the form of inflation, in the next 3-7
years, or in the form of higher taxes, because our excessive national leverage would place our citizens, like a business that is over-levered, in
the position of spending more and more of their energy (and dollars) paying down our debts rather than adding to the productive base of our
economy.
[DG:2059]
Graph displays the ratio of M2 Money Supply to the CPI (billions of dollars of M2 per point on the CPI). While this may be an unconventional
measure, it does point out the dramatic increase in money supply that is currently occurring at a time when CPI is actually decreasing. (See
dramatic spike on far right of graph. Ratio has gone from 70 to 76 in just 4 months.) Our economy is entering uncharted territory.
For more data relating to inflation and deflation, see Data360's
[URL="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=1254"]Inflation
2009-02-13:
[URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123445757254678091.html"]Economists'
and Deflation
U.S. Outlook
Factors[/URL]
Dims[/URL]:
Graph The
Group.
most recent Wall
Street Journal forecasting survey shows a decreased GDP growth forecast for Q2 2009, with positive GDP growth expected in Q3 2009.
[IM1:546]
Graphic shows the Q2 2009 growth rate forecasts by month of forecast. Kelly Evans and Phil Izzo, The Wall Street Journal.
536
US
Economy
537
US
2009-02-13: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123448606475780133.html"]Consumers Cut Food Spending Sharply[/URL]: Consumer
Economy / spending on food fell 3.7% between Q3 2008 and Q4 2008.
Retail
[IM1:549]
Graphic shows quarter to quarter change in consumer spending on food. Justin Lahart, Timothy Martin and Janet Adamy, The Wall Street
Journal.
US
2009-02-13: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123448815417580333.html"]Next Challenge on Stimulus: Spending All That Money[/URL]:
Economy Federal agencies may have a logistically hard time pushing through all of the stimulus money into the economy.
[IM1:547]
Graphic shows a breakdown of programs from the stimulus bill. Stephen Power and Neil King Jr, The Wall Street Journal.
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US
Economy
2009-02-13:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/13/business/economy/13insolvent.html?scp=1&sq=the%20loss%20estimates%20keep%20mounting&st=Search"]Ailing
Banks May Require More Aid to Keep Solvent[/URL]: Analysts say that because of bad assets, many banks are insolvent.
[IM1:548]
Graphic shows estimated bank losses. Steve Lohr, The New York Times.
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US
2009-02-13:
Unemployment
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/14/business/economy/14benefits.html?scp=1&sq=stimulus%20bill%20would%20bestow%20new%20aid&st=cse"]Stimulus
Bill Would Bestow New Aid to Many Workers[/URL]: About 500,000 additional unemployment people are expected to be eligible for
unemployment benefits under the new stimulus legislation.
[IM1:554]
US
2009-02-13: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/14/us/politics/14stimintro.ready.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=a%20smaller,%20faster&st=cse"]A
Graphic shows unemployment benefit recipiency rate by state and the national unemployment benefit recipiency rate. Catherine Rampell, The
Economy Smaller, Faster Stimulus Plan, but Still With a Lot of Money[/URL]: The Congressional Budget Office projects that 74% of the stimulus money
New York Times.
will be spent by September 2010.
[IM1:551]
Graphic shows the breakdown of stimulus funds by tax breaks, direct aid and discretionary spending. David Herszenhorn, The New York
Energy
2009-02-14:
Times.
Overview [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/business/15coal.html?scp=1&sq=is%20america%20ready%20to%20quit%20coal&st=cse"]Is
America Ready to Quit Coal?[/URL]: Coal fuels half of all electricity generation, but produces 2/3 of the carbon dioxide emissions from the
electric power industry.
[IM1:555]
Global
2009-02-14:
Graphic shows capacity and emissions by electricity generation type. Melanie Warner, The New York Times.
Economies [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/business/15global.html?scp=1&sq=unemployment%20surges%20around%20the%20world&st=cse"]Job
Losses Pose a Threat to Stability Worldwide[/URL]: Job losses are climbing around the globe.
[IM1:552]
Graphic shows global joblessness, global unemployment rate, and the unemployment rate in select countries. Nelson Schwartz, The New York
US
2009-02-14: [URL="http://www.speaker.gov/blog/?p=1683"]What 3.6 Million Jobs Lost Over 13 Months Looks Like[/URL]: The rate of job
Times.
Unemployment
losses in the current recession is much greater than the rate of job losses in the 1990 or 2001 recessions.
[IM1:556]
Graphic shows the job losses by month for the 1990, 2001 and current recessions.
*No Issue 2009-02-15:
Group
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/opinion/15opchart.html?scp=1&sq=A%20Year%20in%20Iraq%20and%20Afghanastan&st=cse"]A
Year in Iraq and Afghanistan[/URL]: In Iraq, there were 306 deaths in 2008, down from 898 deaths in 2007. In Afghanistan, there were 289
deaths, up from 225 deaths in 2007.
[IM1:553]
US
2009-02-15: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/16/opinion/16krugman.html?scp=1&sq=decade%20at%20bernie%27s&st=cse"]Decade
Graphic shows the 2008 deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan. Adriana Lins de Albuquerque, Alicia Cheng and Sarah Gephart, The New York Times.
Economy at Bernie???„?s[/URL]: There has been essentially no wealth creation in United States households since the turn of the millennium, according
to the Federal Reserve's recently released [URL="http://www.federalreserve.gov/PUBS/oss/oss2/2007/scf2007home.html"]2007 Survey of
Consumer Finances[/URL]. The median value of financial assets held by families has declined (in terms of constant dollars) since 2001. Paul
Krugman, The New York Times.
Education 2009-02-16: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/education/17educ.html?scp=1&sq=for%20education%20chief&st=cse"]For Education
[IM1:559]
Chief, Stimulus Means Power, Money and Risk[/URL]: The stimulus bill contains $100 billion in aid to public schools and colleges.
Graphic shows the total financial assets for families.
[IM1:558]
Graphic shows the breakdown of the education stimulus funds. Sam Dillion, The New York Times.
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Human
Health
2009-02-16: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/17/health/17well.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=vitamin%20pills&st=cse"]Vitamin Pills: A False
Hope?[/URL]: Recent studies do not show a link between pill-form vitamin usage and decreased incidence of disease or prolonged life.
549
US
Economy
The recent study, [URL="http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/169/3/294"]Multivitamin Use and Risk of Cancer and Cardiovascular
Disease in the Women's Health Initiative Cohorts[/URL] can be found in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Note that a login is required to view
2009-02-17: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123482899369695367.html"]Plan Tries Slow, Steady Stimulus to Revive Spending[/URL]:
the complete article.
The stimulus will mean an additional $8 per week for most United States workers.
[IM1:557]
Graphic shows the breakdown of the "Making Work Pay" tax credit. Sudeep Reddy, The Wall Street Journal.
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Environment2009-02-17: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123483638138996305.html?mg=com-wsj#articleTabs=article"]Yet Another 'Footprint' to
Worry About: Water[/URL]: Some companies have started to track "water footprints" (the amount of water used to make a product), as
fresh-water scarcity is projected to affect 2/3 of the world's population by 2025.
[IM1:561]
Graphic shows the amount of water used to make a pint of beer, a 2-liter bottle of soda, a cup of coffee, Levi's 501 jeans, and a hamburger.
US
2009-02-17: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/business/18brands.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=a%20painful%20departure&st=cse"]A
Alexandra Alter, The Wall Street Journal.
Economy Painful Departure for G.M. Brands[/URL]: G.M is selling or phasing out Saturn, Hummer and Saab. G.M. plans to keep Chevrolet, Buick,
Pontiac, GMC and Cadillac.
[IM1:562]
Graphic shows the brands expected to be retained and sold by G.M., along with each brand's peak year, sales during peak year, and 2008
US
2009-02-17:[URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123491737158404543.html"]The Decline of California[/URL]: California has yet to solve its
sales. Micheline Maynard, The New York Times.
Economy budget crisis and California has the worst credit rating in the nation. "1.4 million more nonimmigrant Americans have left California than entered
over the last decade."
[IM1:560]
Graphic shows the sales and income tax rates for the states with the highest sales and income taxes. If the current California budget deal
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US
Housing
Market
2009-02-19: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123500396043017951.html"]Proposal Is Heavy on Incentives to Modify Loans[/URL]: The
bailout includes incentives for mortgage companies and investors to modify loans.
[IM1:563]
Graphic shows a variety of housing indicators that have contributed to the current mortgage problems. Ruth Simon and Carrick Mollenkamp,
The Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-02-19: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123501158460619143.html"]Small Businesses Face More Fraud in Downturn[/URL]:
Economy / Employee fraud at small businesses usually rises during downturns in the economy.
Crime
[IM1:564]
Graphic shows the rate of various types of fraud at small businesses. Simona Covel, The Wall Street Journal.
US
Housing
Market
2009-02-19: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/business/19markets.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=housing%20starts&st=cse"]Markets Finish
Little Changed Despite Bleak Reports on Housing[/URL]: New home construction declined to its lowest level on record in January. Housing
starts fell to their lowest level since 1959.
[DG:265]
Graph shows the recent history of housing starts. For more housing data, see Data360's
US
2009-02-19: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/20/business/20lend.html?scp=1&sq=trillion%20dollar%20key&st=cse"]U.S. Tries a
[URL="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=82"]US Housing Report[/URL].
Economy Trillion-Dollar Key for Locked Lending[/URL]: "The Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve plan to spend as much as $1 trillion to
provide low-cost loans and guarantees to hedge funds and private equity firms that buy securities backed by consumer and business loans."
[IM1:568]
Graphic shows the problems that are slowing lending and the volume of asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities by year. Vikas Bajaj,
Global
2009-02-19:
The New York Times.
Economies [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/20/business/economy/20norris.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=if%20the%20economies%20and%20stock%20markets%20of%20the%20world&st=cse"]The
Global Recession, Graded on a Curve[/URL]: Stock markets around the world performed poorly over the course of the past year.
[IM1:566]
Graphic shows the current value of $100 invested in the major stock index on December 31, 2007 for Japan, the U.S., Britain, Russia and
US
2009-02-19: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/20/us/20california.html?scp=1&sq=in%20budget%20deal&st=cse"]In Budget Deal,
Iceland. Floyd Norris, The New York Times.
Economy California Shuts $41 Billion Gap[/URL]: California legislators agreed on a budget after 100 days of negotiations.
[IM1:567]
Graphic shows the major spending cuts and tax increases that will be put into play with the new budget in California. Jennifer Steinhauer, The
New York Times.
Energy
2009-02-19:
Overview [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/19/BUH2160HP3.DTL&hw=state+energy+goals&sn=001&sc=1000"]California's
renewable energy goals feasible[/URL]: California's goal of having 33% of its electricity from renewable resources by 2020 may be more
possible than originally thought.
[IM1:565]
US
2009-02-20: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/21/business/economy/21econ.html"]Energy Costs Push Up Consumer Prices in
Graphic shows renewable power capacity added in California by year. David Baker, The San Francisco Chronicle.
Economy January[/URL]: Consumer prices increased in January from December, though consumer prices were unchanged in January 2009 from
January 2008. January 2009 was the first time that consumer prices didn't rise over a 12-month period since 1955. Jack Healy, The New York
Tiems.
[DG:342]
US
2009-02-20: [URL="http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-02-18-is-foreclosure-plan-fair_N.htm"]Millions could get help, but is
Graph shows the recent history of the consumer price index. For more data related to the consumer price index, see Data360's
Housing
foreclosure plan fair?[/URL]: The Obama administration has a $75 billion housing rescue plan that will help some homeowners, but not others.
[URL="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=27"]Consumer Price Index Graph Group[/URL].
Market /
[IM1:571]
US
Graphic shows how the housing crisis unfolded. Stephanie Armour, USA Today.
Economy /
US
2009-02-25:
Headline
Housing
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/business/economy/26econ.html?scp=1&sq=home%20sales%20and%20prices%20continue%20to%20plummet&st=cse"]Home
Market
Sales and Prices Continue to Plummet[/URL]: Existing home sales and the median price of existing homes fell in January, according to a new
release by the National Association of Realtors.
[IM1:570]
Human
2009-02-26:
Graphic shows existing home sales and the median sales price of existing homes from 2007 - January 2009. Jack Healy, The New York
Health
[url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/26/MNKK164V2F.DTL&hw=cost+of+alzheimer&sn=001&sc=1000"]Big jump in
Times.
Alzheimer's cost expected in state[/url]: The population of California is expected to grow by 28% between 2008 and 2030. The number of
people with Alzheimer's in California is expected to grow by 95% over the same time period.
[IM1:583]
US
2009-02-27:
Graphic shows the forecasted California population and California Alzheimer's population from 2008 to 2030. To view the complete study, see
Economy / [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123569595154988673.html#project%3DOBAMABUDGET09%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]Blueprint Finds
[URL="http://www.alz.org/CAdata/FullReport2009.pdf"]Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures in California[/url].
Headline Support, Unease on Capitol Hill[/URL]: Obama's plans call for some major shifts in spending and new programs.
[IM1:577]
Graphic show spending plans and major new programs by department. Naftali Bendavid, The Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-02-27:
Unemployment
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/28/MN38166G72.DTL&hw=california+jobless&sn=006&sc=471"]State
US
2009-03-03: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123603948431514689.html"]Stocks Hit '97 Level, Signaling Long Slump[/URL]: The Dow fell
unemployment rate reaches 10.1%[/URL]: California's unemployment rate reached 10.1% in January,
Economy below 7000 for the first time since 1997.
[DG:359]
567
Retail / US 2009-03-03: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/04/business/04auto.html?scp=1&sq=auto%20sales&st=cse"]Already Bleak, Auto Sales
Economy Take a Fall in February[/url]: Vehicle sales feel in February to their lowest level in 28 years.
[IM1:580]
Graphic shows light vehicle sales since 1976. Bill Vlasic and Nick Bunkley, The New York Times.
568
Human
2009-03-03: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/04/health/04obesity.html?scp=1&sq=obese%20teenagers&st=cse"]Obese Teens as
Health
Likely as Smokers to Die Early, Study Finds[/URL]: A long-term European study has found that men that were overweight at age 18 are as
US
2009-03-03: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/03/03/us/20090303_LEONHARDT.html"]Job Losses Show Breadth of
likely to die by the age of 60 as light smokers. Obese teens and heavy smokers are twice as likely as the general population to die by the age
Unemployment
Recession[/URL]: The current recession is causing more job losses among the less educated than among college graduates.
of 60,
[IM1:581]
Graphic shows a map of job losses across the United States. David Leonhardt, The New York Times.
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Housing
Market /
US
Economy
Public
Opinion.
US
Housing
Market
2009-03-04: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/05/opinion/05geanokoplos.html?scp=1&sq=matters%20of%20principal&st=cse"]Matters
of Principal[/URL]: Analysts expect as many as 8 million foreclosures in the next several years.
[IM1:582]
Graphic shows the monthly mortgage default rate by the combined current loan to value ratio and loan type. John Geanakoplos and Susan
Koniak, The New York Times.
2009-03-05: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123612000246123253.html"]Obama Gets Strong Support in Poll[/URL]: A new poll suggests
the Obama has wide support for his agenda.
[IM1:579]
Graphic shows the results of the WSJ poll regarding support for President Obama. To see the full poll results, see
[URL="http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/documents/WSJ_NewsPoll_030309.pdf"]the Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll[/URL]. Laura Meckler,
2009-03-05: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123617623602129441.html"]Mortgage Bailout to Aid 1 in 9 U.S. Homeowners[/URL]: The
The Wall Street Journal.
housing-rescue plan will help 1 in 9 U.S. homeowners.
[IM1:572]
Graphic shows the number of homeowners who owe more than their homes are worth.
[IM1:573]
Graphic shows who would qualify for loan modification and loan refinancing under the Obama administration's housing rescue plan. Michael
Phillips and Ruth Simon, The Wall Street Journal.
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US
2009-03-05: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/06/business/economy/06retail.html?scp=1&sq=retail%20sales&st=cse"]Retail Sales Slide
Economy / Further, Except at Wal-Mart[/URL]: Retail sales declined again in February, though sales at Wal-Mart for stores open a year rose 5.1%.
Retail
[IM1:574]
Graphic shows year over year change in retail sales overall and for individual stores. Stephanie Rosenbloom, The New York Times.
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Economy
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2009-03-06: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123627593496542123.html"]Obama, Health-Care Players Agree to Seek Overhaul[/URL]:
President Obama promised to take steps to reform the health-care system this year.
[IM1:578]
Graphic shows inflation-adjusted health expenditures in the U.S. and what people view as the most important helath-care issue. Laura Meckler,
The Wall Street Journal.
Global
2009-03-06: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123629944406646661.html"]IMF Urges Global Financial Rules[/URL]: "The International
Economies Monetary Fund urged a new system of government oversight of big hedge funds, private-equity firms and other financial firms whose failure
poses a major risk to the global economy, along with other moves to dramatically widen the scope of international financial regulation."
[IM1:575]
Graphic shows the fiscal balance as a % of GDP for China, Germany, Japan, the U.S. and the G-20 and government support for the financial
US
2009-03-06:
sector as a percentage of GDP for the U.S., U.K., Sweeden, Norway, Switzerland, Netherlands and Greece. Bob Davis, The Wall Street
Unemployment
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/06/BUOL169TQA.DTL&hw=bay+area+jobless&sn=001&sc=1000"]Bay Area
Journal.
unemployment jumps higher[/URL]: Bay area unemployment rates rose to their highest levels since at least 1990 in January.
[IM1:569]
Graphic shows the unemployment rates in San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, and California in January and December. Tom Abate, The San
US
2009-03-08: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/09/business/09dollar.html?scp=1&sq=a%20rising%20dollar%20lifts&st=cse"]A Rising
Francisco Chronicle.
Economy Dollar Lifts the U.S. but Adds to the Crisis Abroad[/URL]: American investors are bringing their dollars away from foreign investments and back
to the United States.
[IM1:584]
Graphic shows foreign holdings of United States treasuries, investments in corporate stocks and bonds, and the change in the value of the
Global
2009-03-09: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123655587029066001.html"]U.S. to Push for Global Stimulus[/url]: At the G-20 summit next
dollar. Peter Goodman, The New York Times.
Economies month, Obama plans to urge world leaders to increase emergency government spending. This is in conflict with the desires of some European
nations to focus on fixing financial regulation.
[IM1:585]
Graphic shows estimated stimulus spending as a percentage of GDP for G-20 countries. Bob Davis, The Wall Street Journal.
*No Issue 2009-03-11:
Group
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/12/business/media/12papers.html?sq=two%20newspapers%20to%20one&st=cse&adxnnl=1&scp=1&adxnnlx=1237230004-PnltxONvB5WX18q+dYQ/rA"]As
Cities Go From Two Papers to One, Talk of Zero[/URL]: As more newspapers fold, some cities could be left with no major newspaper.
[IM1:592]
Graphic shows the circulation and change in circulation of individual newspapers across the country. Richard Perez-Pena, The New York
Environment2009-03-11:
Times.
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/12/MNTK16DEBF.DTL&hw=driven+by+global+warming&sn=001&sc=1000"]Ocean
expected to rise 5 feet along coastlines[/URL]: The ocean is expected to rise five feet along California's coastline by the end of the century.
[IM1:594]
Graphic shows area in the bay area that are vulnerable due to the rise. Jane Kay, The San Francisco Chronicle.
US
2009-03-12: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123679101757197063.html"]Jobless Rates in January Rose Sharply Across U.S.[/URl]: The
Unemployment
jobless rate increased in almost every state in January.
[IM1:593]
Graphic shows the change in unemployment rate by state. Conor Dougherty, The Wall Street Journal.
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Retail
2009-03-12: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/13/business/economy/13econ.html?scp=1&sq=decline%20in%20retail&st=cse"]Decline
in Retail Sales Is Gentler Than Expected, but No Cause for Optimism[/URL]: Retail sales decline 0.1% from January to February, which was
less of a decline than expected.
[IM1:590]
Graphic shows total retail and food service sales by month. Stephanie Rosenbloom, The New York Times.
2009-03-12:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/13/business/economy/13wealth.html?scp=1&sq=household%20wealth&st=cse"]Household Wealth
Falls by Trillions[/URL]: Household wealth fell by $11.1 trillion, which equals about 18%, in 2008.
[IM1:591]
Graphic shows United States household net worth. Vikas Bajaj, The New York Times.
2009-03-14: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123698782128925923.html?mg=com-wsj"]Signs of Stability Drive Up Stocks[/URL]: The
stock market rose on Friday as a result of various positive economic reports.
[IM1:588]
Graphic shows the performance of the Dow since November 2008. Justin Lahart and Jon Hilsenrath, The Wall Street Journal.
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Economy
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Economy
585
Education 2009-03-14:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/us/15immig.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=where%20education%20and%20assimilation%20collide&st=cse"]Where
Education and Assimilation Collide[/URL]: English language learners are one of the fastest growing student groups in the United States.
[IM1:586]
Graphic shows the distribution of English language learner students and their growth rate since 1996. Ginger Thompson, The New York Times.
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Taxes
2009-03-14:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/us/politics/15health.html?scp=1&sq=obama%20administration%20is%20open%20to%20taxing&st=cse"]Administration
Is Open to Taxing Health Benefits[/URL]: Contrary to promises made during his campaign, Obama is now open to taxing employee health
benefits.
[IM1:587]
US
2009-03-14: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/weekinreview/15vikas.html?scp=1&sq=are%20we%20there%20yet&st=cse"]Has the
Graphic shows the average savings per tax return gained by the fact that under current law, employer contributions to health insurance are not
Economy Economy Hit Bottom Yet?[/URL]: There is no easy way to tell when a recession hits bottom, and analysts disagree as to whether the current
counted as taxable income. Jackie Calmes and Robert Pear, The New York Times.
recession has hit its bottom.
[IM1:589]
Graphic shows the price-to-earnings ratio for stocks, one measure that economists study to determine how the economy is doing. Vikas Bajaj,
Education / 2009-03-22: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/us/24savana.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=strip%20search&st=cse"]Strip-Search of Girl
The New York Times.
Crime
Tests Limit of School Policy[/URL]: The supreme court will hear a case in April regarding a school's right to perform strip-searches.
[IM1:598]
Graphic shows the number of school discipline cases decided by state and federal appeals courts by year. Adam Liptak, The New York Times.
US
Economy
2009-03-23: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123776549185209083.html?mg=com-wsj"]AIG's Rivals Blame Bailout For Tilting Insurance
Game[/URL]: Some of AIG's competitors say that AIG's bailout money is causing an unfair advantage for AIG in the commercial insurance
field.
[IM1:597]
Graphic shows AIG's market share by type of insurance. Liam Pleven and Sudeep Reddy, The Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-03-23:
Economy [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/business/economy/24rollout.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=rescue%20plan,%20with%20fine%20print&st=cse"]Rescue
Plan, With Fine Print, Dazzles Wall Street[/URL]: The Treasury unveiled its plan to use private and public money to remove toxic assets from
bank balance sheets. The Federal Government plans to use as much as $100 billion, along with private funds, to reach $500 billion in
purchasing power.
US
2009-03-31:
[IM1:595]
Housing
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/business/economy/01econ.html?_r=1&sq=home%20prices&st=cse&adxnnl=1&scp=1&adxnnlx=1238605719-rRCjQFqT/9HfiwWLdT/9Yg"]Record
Graphic shows the bailout fund distribution thus far. Jackie Calmes, The New York TImes.
Market
Drop in Index of Home Prices[/URL]: The S&P Case-Shiller home price index fell 19% in January from 1 year earlier. David Streitfield, The New
York Times.
[DG:1951]
Graphic shows the composite S&P Case-Shiller home price index.
Global
For more S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index Data and Graphs, see Data360's
2009-03-31:
Economies [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/01/business/economy/01leonhardt.html?scp=1&sq=on%20stimulus%20nuance%20is%20necessary&st=cse"]Stimulus
[URL="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=110"]S&P/Case-Shiller?® Home Price Indices Report[/URL].
Thinking, and Nuance[/URL]: Economists are looking to the past to understand how to fix the economy.
[IM1:601]
Graphic shows that countries that give a significant share of their annual budgets to unemployment, welfare and health benefits are spending
Global
2009-04-01: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123849211128473261.html"]Global Slump Seen Deepening[/URL]: The Global Economies
less of stimulating their economies. David Leonhardt, The New York Times.
Economies are expected to decline in 2009 according to new reports. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the
world economy will shrink by 2.75% in 2009.
[IM1:599]
Graphic shows The World Bank's predictions of the global economy to shrink by 1.7% in 2009 and global trade to shrink by 6.1% in 2009.
Global
2009-04-01: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123857874355677711.html#project%3DG20_0903%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]Obama
Marcus Walker, Joellen Perry, and Kelly Evans, The Wall Street Journal.
Economies Warns Others to Step Up to Crisis[/URL]: Obama warned that other countries need to take responsibility for solving the economic crisis and not
rely on the United States.
[IM1:602]
Graphic shows GDP for various countries and expected contraction or expansion in 2009. Alistair MacDonald and Jonathan Weisman, The
US
2009-04-01:
Wall Street Journal.
Unemployment
[URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/01/BUCP16QAFH.DTL&hw=the+recession+has+cut+into+tech&sn=001&sc=1000"]Tech
group study predicts good future prospects[/URL]: A new study released this week, The Cyberstates 2009, indicates that the recession has
affected tech industry jobs, but not to the extent that it has affected other fields.
[IM1:600]
US
2009-04-09: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123921340472201877.html"]Economists See a Rebound in September[/URL] Economists
Graphic shows the job specialties in the tech sector with the best and worst prospects. Tom Abate, The San Francisco Chronicle.
Economy/Unemployment
expect the recession to end in September, but most say that unemployment rates will not go down until the second half of 2010.
[IM1:604]
Graphic shows that although the economy might rebound in September, job unemployment rates will not rebound until late 2010. Phil Izzo,
Wall Street Journal.
US Federal 2009-05-12: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124204820923806673.html"]Climate-Bill Breaks Bode Ill For Deficit[/URL]: The Obama
Deficit
Administration announced that the expected deficit for this year could be wider than the original forecast. Congress could undermine Obama's
push to narrow the gap by cutting revenues generated from the plan to lower greenhouse gases.
[IM1:609]
Graphic shows the federal outlays and receipts as a percentage of GDP. Jonathan Weisman, Wall Street Journal.
Environment2009-05-18: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/19/business/19emissions.html?_r=1"]Obama to Toughen Rules on Emissions and
Mileage[/URL]: President Obama will announce tough new nationwide rules for automobile emissions and standards.
[IM1:610]
599
Energy Oil
2009-05-19: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124265413425430411.html"]Oil Jumps 4.8%; OPEC Cuts Unlikely[/URL]:Crude oil futures
rallied back over $59 a barrel as a result of growing uncertainties over supply due to Nigerian conflicts.
[IM1:606]
Graphic shows the daily settlement price for crude-oil futures. Gregory Meyer, Wall Street Journal.
600
Sports
2009-05-20: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124278087620937367.html"]Lacrosse Muscles Its Way West[/URL]: A sport incubated by
eastern preparatory quietly picks up converts and is making big gains in California.
[IM1:632]
Graphic shows the boom in lacrosse participation over the past two decades. Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg and Kelly Evans, Wall Street Journal.
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Global
2009-05-21: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124286297167741263.html"]World Economies Plummet[/URL]: Fall in GDP Quickens in
Economies Mexico and Japan; Global Outlook Brighter this Quarter
[IM1:608]
Major economies' GDP fell sharply in the first quarter. Correction: US actual decline in GDP only 6.1%. Bob Davis, Wall Street Journal.
602
US
Economy
603
US Stock
Market
604
Exchange 2009-05-26: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124329324391752523.html"]Dollar Vexes Asian Central Banks[/URL]: Currency purchases
Rates
seek to keep exports from becoming more expensive.
[IM1:607]
Graphic shows the yen and the euro against the dollar. John Murphy, Peter Stein, and Neil Shah, Wall Street Journal.
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Housing
Market
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2009-05-25:
[URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124294936033345413.html#mod=loomia?loomia_si=t0:a16:g2:r4:c0.0225887:b24780862"]Card Firms'
Loss Tally: Billions of Dollars in Fees[/URL]: President Obama's new credit-card legislation will cut revenue for credit-card issuers by limiting
fees and forcing companies to provide more disclosure to customers.
[IM1:615]
2009-05-26 [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124329756129052871.html"]One Key Number in Pricing a Deal: The 52-Week High[/URL]
Graphic shows both the percentage of credit-card balances owed by subprime customers and companies ranked by market share in
The psychological and financial effect of the 52-week high for a company's stock.
private-label cards. Robin Sidel, Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:605]
Graphic shows how closely deals hewed to the 52-week trading high. Dennis K. Berman, Wall Street Journal.
2009-05-26: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124334273595354315.html#articleTabs%3Darticle"]Home Prices Continue Downward
March[/URL]: US Home prices continued their multiyear slide in March and there are no signs of slowing. Consumer confidence has
rebounded especially in correlation with expectations for the economy 6 months from now.
[IM1:603]
Graphic shows the slide in US home prices in 20 metropolitan areas. Kerry E. Grace and Kevin Kingsbury, Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-05-26: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/27/business/economy/27leonhardt.html?ref=business"]Financial Careers Come at a Cost
Employmentto Families[/URL]:A career in finance is uniquely difficult in finding a work-life balance.
[IM1:616]
Graphic shows the average financial penalty on those who took time off to take care of their families. David Leonhart, New York Times.
Human
Health
2009-05-27: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124338408532856679.html"]Building Diversity in Bone-Marrow Registries[/URL]:
Transplants of bone marrow, which produces new blood cells, offer a potential cure for a growing number of cancers and other diseases, but
only if the patient and donor are genetically compatible.
[IM1:614]
The national registry of potential bone-marrow and stem-cell donors is seeking more minority volunteers. The Informed Patient, Wall Street
Energy - 2009-05-27: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124338431100556717.html"]To Gauge Oil Savings, Economists Road Test the 'Rebound
Journal.
Oil
Effect[/URL]: Will there be an actual reduction in oil demand due to President Obama's stricter rules concerning emissions and mileage
standards?
[IM1:611]
Due to the decrease in gas prices and the improvements in vehicle mileage, people are actually driving more. Carl Bialik, Wall Street Journal.
Education 2009-05-27: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/26/nyregion/26principals.html?ref=education"]Principals Younger and Freer, but Raise
Doubts in the Schools[/URL]:Younger principals are given more autonomy in their classrooms and larger salaries than more experienced
education veterans.
[IM1:612]
Graphic shows the transition from veteran principals to the younger generation of principals. Elissa Gootman and Robert Gebeloff, New York
US
2009-05-28: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124346228810260005.html#"]Fed Cools Bank's Faith in Future Revenue[/URL]:Banks can't
Times.
Economy use billions in expected revenues toward filling capital holes as the Fed concludes that some of the estimates were too large.
[IM1:618]
[IM1:619]
The first graphic shows the regulators' estimates of the 2009 and 2010 revenues for the 10 banks following the stress tests. The second
graphic charts how the Bank of America plans to raise their capital to an acceptable amount for the Fed. Dan Fitzpatrick, Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-05-28: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124347059427260693.html"]Sharper Drop Is Forecast for Factory Production[/URL]:U.S.
Economy manufacturing is expected to decline 12% this year, much more than the 8% forecasted three months ago.
[IM1:621]
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Human
Health
2009-05-28: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/us/28addiction.html?ref=health"]Governments' Drug Abuse Costs Hit $468 Billion,
Study Says[/URL]:Government spending related to smoking and the abuse of alcohol and illegal drugs reached $468 billion, accounting for
more than one-tenth of combined federal, state and local expenditures for all purposes.
[IM1:620]
Federal and state spending on substance abuse and addiction. Erik Eckholm, New York Times.
US
2009-05-29: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124352408197662869.html"]Mortgage Rates Surge, Sap Hopes[/URL]: Home-mortgage
Housing
rates have surged to their highest level in more than three months, threatening prospects for quick rebounds in the housing market and
Market
consumer spending.
[IM1:623]
The graphic shows both the percentage of mortgages in foreclosure and the increased fixed rates on 30-year mortgages. Nick Timiraos and
Human
2009-05-29: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124355565726864673.html"]New Recruits: Enlisting Genes In the Campaign Against
Ruth Simon, Wall Street Journal.
Health
Cancer[/URL]: Genetic research is making another big advance in the battle against cancer.
[IM1:624]
The graphic shows that the rate of lung and bronchus cancer cases in the U.S> has declined, but the likelihood of living five years after
diagnosis remains low. Jeanne Whalen, Wall Street Journal.
Energy - 2009-06-01: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124381655398570779.html"]Biomass Power Generates Traction[/URL]: While solar power
Alternative is taking root in some parts of the country, other places are turning to trees and grass as their best bet for producing renewable energy, leading
to a new building boom in "biomass" power plants.
[IM1:622]
The graphic shows the projected renewable electricity generation by energy source, in billions of kilowatthours. Russell Gold, Wall Street
US
2009-06-01: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124382139111970997.html#mod=testMod"]Geithner Urges Role for China in
Journal.
GDP/GlobalRecovery[/URL]: Timothy Geithner, in his first visit to China as U.S. Treasury secretary, said a sustained global recovery depends on the efforts
Economies of the U.S. and China to overhaul their economies.
[IM1:626]
Graphic shows the household spending as a percentage of GDP for the U.S. and China. Andrew Batson and Maya Jackson Randall, Wall
Global
2009-06-01: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124385117176771783.html"]Japan Regains Regional M&A Lead[/URL]: Recession spurs
Street Journal.
Economies deals as firms restructure and raise stakes in units.
[IM1:625]
Graphic shows the breakdown of Asian-Pacific acquisitions for the first quarter of 2009. Tor Ching Li, Wall Street Journal.
US
Economy
2009-06-01: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/02/business/economy/02econ.html?ref=economy"]Inomes Rose in April, but Consumer
Spending Fell[/URL]: Consumer spending fell in April, although less than expected, as rising unemployment kept the pressure on the
pocketbooks.
[IM1:627]
[IM1:628]
The graphics shows that consumers are being more cautious given rising unemployment. Associated Press, New York Times.
US
2009-06-02: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124390702021774983.html"]Pain Spreads Through an Ecosystem of Companies[/URL]:
Economy The fallout from General Motor's bankruptcy could be catastrophic for many businesses.
[IM1:629]
Graphic shows the far-reaching effect of GM's bankruptcy on other industries, including advertising, as it continues to curb spending. Suzanne
Vranica, Wall Street Journal.
Education 2009-06-02: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/02/nyregion/02math.html"]New York City's Elementary and Middle Schoolers Show Math
Gains[/URL]: New York City's public school students showed large gains on state math tests this year, particularly in the middle school grades,
and black and Hispanic students continued to edge closer to their white counterparts.
[IM1:630]
Graphic shows that math scores are rising in city schools. Javier C. Hernandez, New York Times.
Crime
2009-06-02: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/02/us/02fbi.html?ref=us"]Despite Bleak Economy, Crime Numbers Take Positive
Turn[/URL]: Most types of crime declined nationally last year, despite the economic downturn.
[IM1:631]
Graphic shows the decrease in different types of crime. Solomon Moore, New York Times.
622
Global
Statistics
623
US Budget 2009-06-05: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124415780405186905.html"]In North Dakota, the Good Times Are Still Rolling[/URL]: North
Dakota still has a hefty budget surplus that most states envy.
[IM1:634]
Graphic shows the amount of money that North Dakota has in surplus. It has one of the largest if not the largest budget surplus in the nation.
Amy Merrick, Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-06-05: [URL="http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/06/the-geography-of-job-loss/"]The Geography of Job Loss[/URL]
Employment[IM1:642]
Click on the graphic to be connected to the video. TIP Strategies.
624
2009-06-03: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124398720006979435.html"]U.K. Agency Seeks Statistical Truth[/URL]
[IM1:635]
Graphic shows European residents who are least likely to trust official statistics. Carl Bialik, Wall Street Journal.
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US
2009-06-06: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124424456574990491.html"]Job Losses Offer Clues to Recovery[/URL]: Services-Sector
Unemployment
Firms That Were Quick to Shed Workers Slowed Cuts in May.
[IM1:633]
The economy shed 345,000 jobs last month, but some industries fared better than others - and they may be pointing the way out of the
downturn. Justin Lahart, Wall Street Journal
US
2009-06-06:
Unemployment
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/06/business/economy/06jobs.html?scp=1&sq=Hints%20of%20Hope%20in%20JObless%20data&st=cse"]Hints
of Hope in Jobless Data Even as Rate Jumps to 9.4%[/URL]
[IM1:638]
Graphic shows a complete breakdown of the job loss situation for the month of May 2009. Peter S. Goodman and Jack Healy, New York
Global
2009-06-07: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124425206128990897.html"]Lativa's Problems Prompt Worry About
Times.
Economies Contagion[/URL]Latvian officials worked to assemble an international aid package, aiming to avert a currency devaluation as neighboring
countries voiced concerns about financial contagion.
[IM1:641]
Graphic shows that Swedish banks have the largest exposure to loans in the ailing Baltic states, including Latvia. Alex Frangos, Wall Street
Energy
2009-06-08: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124414770220386457.html"]U.S. Foresees a Thinner Cushion of Coal[/URL]: As coal
Journal.
Overview extraction becomes more difficult and expensive, recent studies are questioning government estimates of the U.S. supply of coal.
[IM1:636]
[IM1:637]
Graphics show the U.S. bituminous coal production by region and the reliance of the U.S. on coal. Rebecca Smith, Wall Street Journal.
629
Energy Oil
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Global
2009-06-08: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124443535253893543.html"]Japan's Trade Surplus Shrank Sharply in April[/URL]
Economies [IM1:640]
Graphic shows the decrease in Japan's trade surplus from 2008 to 2009. Andrew Monahan, Wall Street Journal.
631
US
Housing
Market
632
Crime
633
Energy Oil
634
635
636
2009-06-08: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124423136163589869.html"]In Rising Crude Prices, Some See '08 Replay[/URL]The rapid
rise in the price of crude-oil futures is sparking fears of a repeat of last year's energy rollercoaster.
[IM1:639]
Oil prices are about half as high as they were a year ago, but this year's rise has been much quicker. Ben Casselman, Wall Street Journal.
2009-06-09: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124450388959795613.html"]Appraisals Roil Real Estate Deals[/URL]: Conservative
approach to home pricing makes it harder to refinance or sell.
[IM1:643]
Graphic shows that a wave of lower-than-expected home appraisals is adding another drag on the limping real-estate market. James R.
Hagerty and Ruth Simon, Wall Street Journal.
2009-06-09: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124450813837596415.html"]Drunk-Driving Foes Split on Severity of Penalties[/URL]
[IM1:644]
Graphic shows that alcohol-related-car-crash fatalities have been leveling off since their dramatic drop in the early 1990's. David Kesmodel,
Wall Street Journal.
2009-06-09:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/business/09gas.html?scp=1&sq=Rising%20Gas%20Prices%20Threaten&st=cse"]Rising Gas
Prices Threaten to Slow a Recovery[/URL]: After a few months of relief at the pump, cheap gasoline is disappearing.
[IM1:646]
[IM1:647]
Gas prices have risen for the past 41 days in a row, leading to a national average of almost $2.62 a gallon. That is a sharp increase from the
Human
low of $1.62 a
2009-06-09:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/us/politics/09health.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=Spending%20Disparities&st=cse"]Health
gallon that prevailed at the end of last year. Clifford Krauss, New York Times.
Health
Care Spending Disparities Stir a Fight[/URL]: As part of the larger effort to overhaul health care, lawmakers are trying to address the problem
that intrigues President Obama so much - the huge geographic variations in Medicare spending per beneficiary.
[IM1:645]
Graphic breaks down the regional variation in Medicare costs. Robert Pear, New York Times.
US Federal 2009-06-10: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124455428213397897.html"]Democrats Mix Signals on Deficit[/URL]
Deficit
[IM1:648]
Graphic shows the that the growing federal spending is putting pressure on President Obama. Jonathan Weisman, Wall Street Journal.
US
Economy
2009-06-10: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124455528999797923.html"]Treasury Lets 10 Banks Repay $68 Billion in Bailout
Cash[/URL]: The Treasury Department granted permission to 10 of the nation's largest financial institutions to repay $68 billion in
government-bailout cash, showing that the industry is rebounding from losses that sank some firms and caused the world economy to buckle
last year.
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Overview
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Economy
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Economy
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US
2009-06-16: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124511318124517281.html"]In Finance, Recent Signs of Hiring[/URL]: Job hunters' stock
Employmentmay be rising on Wall Street.
[IM1:654]
Graphic shows that people are more confident about the financial-services job market than they were last October. Sarah E. Needleman, Wall
Street Journal.
Energy - 2009-06-16: [URL="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/16/BAQ9187O4S.DTL"]State's Price of Gasoline Tops $3
Oil
Again[/URL]
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Graphic shows that California's average price for regular gasoline topped $3 for the first time this year. David R. Baker, San Francisco
Chronicle.
US Stock 2009-06-22: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124561705762935201.html"]Is the Bull Run Pulling Up Lame?[/URL]
Market [IM1:661]
Dow
Graphic shows that the Dow Jones Industrial Average has been slowing down since its surge in April and May. E. S. Browning, Wall Street
Journal.
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2009-06-15: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124502125590313729.html"]Lower Natural-Gas Price Leaves Coal Out in Cold[/URL]: A
precipitous drop in the price of natural gas means lower bills for some electricity consumers but spells trouble for coal producers, long the
dominant source of fuel for the electric-power industry.
[IM1:651]
Graphic shows that the lower natural-gas price gives it an edge over coal. Rebecca Smith and Ben Casselman, Wall Street Journal.
2009-06-15: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124502516840414105.html"]States' Budget Gaps Are Another Test for Washington[/URL]:
As the White House eagerly scans the economic landscape for signs of recovery, a looming drought in the form of state budget deficits could
make any "green shoots" wilt.
[IM1:652]
Graphic shows the annual change in state budgets. Jonathan Weisman, Wall Street Journal.
2009-06-16: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124507696210915249.html"]IMF Upgrades Its View of U.S. Economy[/URL]: The U.S.
economy is healing faster than anticipated but still at an anemic pace that's unlikely to produce either jobs or inflation.
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Graphic shows the U.S. annual economic growth as measured by the IMF. Bob Davis, Wall Street Journal.
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US
2009-06-22: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124562632082835633.html"]Cuts Are Here to Stay, Companies Say[/URL]: Many
Employmentcompanies that have cut jobs, pay and benefits during the recession may not be quick to restore them.
[IM1:660]
Graphic shows the percentage of employers who plan to reverse cost cuts and when. Cari Tuna, Wall Street Journal.
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Technology 2009-06-22: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124562830113035785.html"]Tech Giants Ramp Up Their Online Offerings[/URL]: As
businesses look to cut costs many are turning to Web-based software, which saves companies from having to buy or maintain expensive
back-office computers.
[IM1:659]
Graphic shows the year-to-year percentage change in sales of all software compared to online software. Ben Worthen and Justin Scheck,
US
2009-06-23: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124566798968736745.html"]Markets Fall on Growth Fears[/URL]: After three months of
Wall Street Journal.
Economy enthusiasm, investors are showing doubts among the prospects for global growth.
[IM1:663]
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Graphic shows after lofty gains, stocks and commodities drop amid worries over global contraction. E.S. Browning, Wall Street Journal.
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2009-06-22: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124562449457235503.html#mod=testMod"]Numbers on Welfare See Sharp
Increase[/URL]: Welfare rolls, which were slow to rise and actually fell in many states early in the recession, now are climbing across the
country for the first time since President Bill Clinton signed legislation pledging "to end welfare as we know it" more than a decade ago.
[IM1:656]
[IM1:657]
[IM1:658]
Graphics shows the huge increase in welfare cases across the nation and particularly in California. Sara Murray, Wall Street Journal.
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US
2009-06-23: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124571390708339073.html"]The Boundaries of Unemployment[/URL]: The U.S.
Unemployment
unemployment system is a complex patchwork of programs guided by Washington but administered principally by states.
[IM1:662]
Graphic shows the differences between state's unemployment programs. Cari Tuna, Wall Street Journal.
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Economy
2009-06-25: [URL="http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2009/06/25/guest-contribution-housing-bubble-fueled-consumer-spending/"]Housing
Bubble Fueled Consumer Spending[/URL]: The rise in house prices from 2002 to 2006 was a main driver of economic growth during this time
period, and the subsequent collapse of house prices is likely a main contributor to the historic consumption decline over the past year.
[IM1:668]
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2009-06-25: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124579852347944191.html"]Unhealthy Accounting of the Uninsured[/URL]: Some estimates
put the number at 45.7 million people, but faulty assumptions could be inflating the projections.
[IM1:667]
Graphic shows the CBO's forecasts if the health-care plan is enacted. Carl Bialik, Wall Street Journal.
2009-06-25:
[URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/25/business/economy/25econ.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&ref=todayspaper&adxnnlx=1245949208-LooJCC3wmnIYYo7niAvXqA"]Data
Hints at Economy No Longer in Free Fall[/URL]: New signals that the recession could be nearing a bottom emerged Wednesday in figures
showing that orders to factories surged last month for things like computers and aircraft.
[IM1:665]
[IM1:666]
US
Graphic shows
2009-06-29:
[URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124622976702566007.html"]Why
the the annual pace of new private homes sold during the month as well
Banks
as the
Hobble
manufacturers'
Toxic-Assettotal
Plan[/URL]:
new orders
Theforgovernment's
durable
Economy plan
goods.
to enable
Associated
banks
Press,
to dump
Newtroubled
York Times.
assets is facing troubles of its own.
[IM1:673]
[IM1:674]
[IM1:675]
The first graphic shows the loan charge-offs at federally insured banks and thrifts. The second graphic tracks the Dow Jones Industrial
Average in correlation with Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's release of the asset plan. The last graphic is a link to a page tracking the
bailout plan. David Enrich, Liz Rappaport, and Jenny Strasburg, Wall Street Journal.
California 2009-06-29: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124624790198767385.html"]Califronia Bills Seek To Lift Home Sales[/URL]: Even as
State
California lawmakers slash services and lay off workers to help close the state's $21 billion budget deficit, there is one area they want to
Budget
increase funding: a home-buyer tax-credit program meant to help revive the local real-estate market.
[IM1:672]
Graphic shows that despite a new-home tax-credit program, California's housing market remains weak. Bobby White, Wall Street Journal.
Education 2009-06-30: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124631834157970855.html#mod=todays_us_money_and_investing"]Ivy League
Endowments Finally 'Dumb'[/URL]: The markets finally found a way to stump the Ivy League.
[IM1:676]
Graphic shows that the median endowment returns for smaller endowment funds have done better than large funds. Craig Karmin, Wall Street
Journal.
Human
2009-07-02: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124649298279583139.html#mod=todays_us_marketplace"]For General Mills, Wheat-Free
Health
Items Are Tricky to Make, Cheap to Market [/URL]: Mass marketer General Mills Inc. is carving out a niche in gluten-free food after realizing it
could reach eager customers without costly ad campaigns.
[IM1:679]
Graphic shows that new products that claim to be gluten-free, world-wide. Ilan Brat, Wall Street Journal.
Environment2009-07-02: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124650107013784081.html"]Luxury-Goods Makers Brandish Green Credentials[/URL]: The
bad economy and a fundamental shift in the market for luxury goods are forcing an industry that reveres names like Chanel and Versace to
embrace a different icon: Mother Nature.
[IM1:680]
Graphic shows how the recession has influenced consumers' attitudes toward environmentally responsible products. Rachel Dodes and Sam
US
2009-07-02: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124650399438184235.html"]Congress's Travel Tab Swells[/URL]: Spending by lawmakers
Schechner, Wall Street Journal.
Economy on taxpayer-financed trips abroad has risen sharply in recent years, a Wall Street Journal analysis of travel records shows, involving everything
from war-zone visits to trips to exotic spots such as the Gal??pagos Islands.
[IM1:681]
[IM1:682]
Graphic shows the increased amount of spending by congressional delegations and the breakdown of the countries visited. Brody Mullins and
US
T.W. Farnam,[URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124653569538485257.html#mod=testMod"]Job
2009-07-02:
Wall Street Journal.
Losses Accelerated in June[/URL]: U.S.
Unemployment
payrolls tumbled by an unexpectedly large amount last month on widespread declines across manufacturing, construction and professional
services, a grim reminder that the path to economic recovery will be bumpy.
[IM1:677]
[IM1:678]
Graphic shows that U.S. unemployment has decreased in the month of June. Brian Blackstone, Wall Street Journal.
[URL="http://www.data360.org/adm_gg_comment.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=402"]U.S. Unemployment Rate and Civilian Labor Force[/URL]:
Data360's own graph of the unemployment rate in the United States.
US
2009-07-05:
Economy [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/07/02/business/economy/20090705-cycles-graphic.html?scp=1&sq=Turning%20a%20Corner?&st=cse"]Turning
a Corner?[/URL]: The economy lost 467,000 jobs in June, a deeply discouraging number at a time when other indicators have suggested the
recession may be ending.
[IM1:685]
Technology 2009-07-06: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124682644336597021.html"]Crunch Time: How Tough is Tech?[/URL]: Technology
An innovative graphic showing the signals that the recession may be ending. Amanda Cox, New York Times
companies, which have weathered the financial storm better than most others, are under the spotlight as the second-quarter earnings season
begins this week.
[IM1:684]
Graphic shows the consensus forecasts for year-over-year change in second-quarter earnings per share for the S&P 500 sectors as well as
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US
2009-07-06: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124684183990798403.html"]Minimum-Wage Increase Comes at a Bad Time for Weakened
EmploymentJob Market[/URL]: The federal minimum wage goes up this month just as job losses are sending new alarms about the economy, giving
traction to perennial fears that higher wages will hurt job creation.
[IM1:683]
Graphic shows that an increase this month will help bring the minimum wage more in line with inflation. Kris Maher, Wall Street Journal.
[URL="http://www.data360.org/adm_gg_comment.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=495"]Data360 Compares the Nominal and Real Federal Minimum
Wages[/URL]
[DG:762]
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Human
Health
2009-07-08 [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124701192458308917.html"]Support Slips for Tax on Employee Health Benefits[/URL]:
Senators are cooling to a proposal that would impose a first-ever tax on employer-provided health insurance and are giving renewed attention
to taxes on the wealthy to pay for a sweeping health-care overhaul.
[IM1:687]
Graphic shows polling on the new health-care overhaul. Greg Hitt and Janet Adamy, Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-07-08: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124701848135809721.html"]Apartment Vacancy Rate Hits 22-Year High[/URL]: The
Housing
vacancy rate for U.S. apartments hit a 22-year high in the second quarter as rising unemployment reduced demand during what is usually the
Market
peak leasing season.
[IM1:686]
Graphic shows the ten largest effective-rent declines over the past 12 months. Nick Timiraos, Wall Street Journal.
Global
2009-07-11: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124722865935523121.html"]Stabilizing Exports in U.S., China Bode Well for
Economies Economy[/URL]: Tentative signs of life in global trade are emerging, buoying growth forecasts in the U.S. and China, two of the world's most
important economies.
[IM1:688]
Graphic shows the exports in billions of dollars since the start of the recession in the U.S.. Alex Frangos and Peter Stein, Wall Street Journal.
Human
2009-07-13: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124700756153408321.html"]Calorie Disclosures Fail to Weigh Whole Enchilada[/URL]:Laws
Health
Requiring Restaurants to Post Nutritional Data Lean on Slim Research, Overlook 'Compensation' Meals.
[IM1:690]
Graphic shows how restaurants are posting lower calories totals for foods at their locations. Carl Bialik, Wall Street Journal.
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US
2009-07-13: [URL="http://www.data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=248"]U.S. Unemployment Rate Hits 9.4% for month of
Unemployment
June[/URL]: The U.S. unemployment rate increased to 9.5% in June from 9.4% in May. Could this signify the beginning of the end of the
recession?
[DG:44]
Graphic shows the US Unemployment rates for the past 50 years. The link below connects you to the graph group comparing the U.S.
unemployment rate and the civilian labor force.
[URL="http://www.data360.org/adm_gg_comment.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=402"]U.S. Unemployment Rate and Civilian Labor Force[/URL]
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Economy
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Data360
2009-07-14: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124750836648634011.html"]$1 Trillion Deficit Complicates Obama's Agenda[/URL]: The
U.S. federal budget deficit broke through the $1 trillion mark in June, potentially complicating the Obama administration's efforts to revive the
economy and enact its longer-term policy agenda.
[IM1:691]
Graphic shows the ins and outs of the federal budget. John D. McKinnon, Wall Street Journal.
Technology 2009-07-14: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124752287324035123.html"]Can Investors Hang Their Hats on Tech?[/URL]: Tech stock
investors hope to find support this week for their high hopes.
[IM1:693]
Graphic shows the sectors that have outperformed the broader market since June 12. Mark Gongloff, Wall Street Journal.
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Economy
2009-07-14: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124752795979835531.html"]U.S. Turns Focus to Health of Auto Suppliers[/URL]: The
Obama administration used bankruptcy court to quickly restructure General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC. But how the two auto giants
will fare could depend on how the government spends the rest of the summer managing the carnage in another sector: the vast network of
auto-parts suppliers.
[IM1:692]
2009-07-15: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124755439431437571.html"]Goldman Gains On Rivals' Pain[/URL]: Wall Street's meltdown
Graphic shows the change in revenue for selected auto suppliers. Mike Spector and Josh Mitchell, Wall Street Journal.
fueled the most profitable quarter ever at Goldman Sachs Group Inc., which snatched business away from weakened rivals and churned out
huge trading gains by revving up risk taking.
[IM1:695]
[IM1:696]
Graphics show the Goldman Sachs Group's quarterly net income and how Goldman increased its profits. Susanne Craig and Aaron Lucchetti,
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Economy
2009-07-15: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124757418637738427.html"]Signs of Upturn in Inventories Remain Elusive[/URL]: When
businesses add merchandise to store shelves again and consumers gobble up the goods, the signs of an economic turnaround will have
arrived. That hasn't happened yet.
[IM1:694]
Graphic shows the change from previous month in US retail and food sales, with and without motor-vehicle-and-part and gasoline prices. Alex
Crime
2009-07-18: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/nyregion/18nypd.html"]With Crime Down, New York Police Hold the Line With Smaller
Frangos and Elizabeth Holmes, Wall Street Journal.
Force[/URL]: At a recent meeting at police headquarters in New York, debate erupted among the gathered commissioners, commanders and
chiefs about the urgent question of the deployment of officers in a Bronx precinct.
[IM1:701]
Graphic shows that despite a shrinking police force, crime numbers have continued to drop in New York. Al Baker, New York Times.
Human
2009-07-20: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124787334876660617.html"]Obama Moves to Counter Cost Concerns[/URL]: The White
Health
House worked Friday to prove it is serious about containing long-term health-care costs, a day after the director of the Congressional Budget
Office said he doubts pending legislation will do so.
[IM1:697]
Graphic shows the contribution to growth in health-care spending, average annual change. Laura Meckler, Wall Street Journal.
Technology 2009-07-20: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124805149501664033.html#mod=todays_us_money_and_investing"]Apple, RIM Outsmart
Phone Market[/URL]: No wonder they are called smart phones. Not only can these fancy phones send email, get directions and play music,
they can generate huge profits for their makers.
[IM1:699]
Graphic shows the profits for the cellphone market. Sara Silver, Wall Street Journal.
Human
2009-07-20: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124812571962066393.html#mod=todays_us_page_one"]Ten Questions on the Health-Care
Health
Overhaul[/URL]The effort to change the system enjoys more support than past attempts, but the complications are as acute as ever.
[IM1:702]
Graphic shows that even though medical spending has grown to one-sixth the size of the nation's entire economic output, with the government
footing a major portion of the bill, one in seven in the U.S. still lack health coverage. Janet Adamy, Wall Street Journal.
Human
2009-07-20: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/20/world/africa/20circumcision.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper"]South Africa Is Seen to Lag
Health
in H.I.V. Fight[/URL]: Young men have flocked by the thousands to this clinic for circumcisions, the only one of its kind in South Africa. Each of
them lies down on one of seven closely spaced surgical tables, his privacy shielded only by a green curtain.
[IM1:700]
Graphic shows the African countries with the highest rates of H.I.V. infection. Celia W. Dugger, Wall Street Journal.
Global
2009-07-20: If You Think the U.S. Economy is Doing Poorly, Check This Out
Economies [IM1:698]
Education 2009-07-21: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124813472753066949.html#mod=todays_us_page_one"]Detroit Schools on the
Brink[/URL]: Detroit's public-school system, beset by massive deficits and widespread corruption, is on the brink of following local icons GM
and Chrysler into bankruptcy court.
[IM1:703]
Graphic shows the declining enrollment in Detroit's public schools and the Detroit Public School's operating fund. Alex P. Kellogg, Wall Street
Race
2009-07-21: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/us/politics/21vote.html?_r=1"]2008 Surge in Black Voters Nearly Erased Racial
Journal.
Gap[/URL]: In last year's presidential election, younger blacks voted in greater proportions than whites for the first time and black women
turned out at a higher rate than any other racial, ethnic and gender group, a census analysis released Monday confirmed.
[IM1:704]
Graphic shows that young black voters had the highest turnout for any ethnic group. Sam Roberts, New York Times.
Environment2009-07-28:
[URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124872939604384837.html#mod%3Dtodays_us_page_one%26project%3DDROUGHT0907%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]Texas
Scorched by Worst Drought in 50 Years[/URL]: A combination of record-high heat and record-low rainfall has pushed south and central Texas
into the region's deepest drought in a half century, with $3.6 billion of crop and livestock losses piling up during the past nine months.
[IM1:709]
US
2009-07-28:
Graphic shows the dry areas across the nation. Tom Benning, Wall Street Journal.
Economy [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124874235091485463.html#mod%3Dtodays_us_page_one%26project%3DRECESSION_DATA_0209%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]The
Great Recession: A Downturn Sized Up[/URL]: What makes the current recession so bad? Other downturns have been more painful by some
measures, but none since World War II has delivered so many severe blows to the economy at the same time.
[IM1:710]
[IM1:711]
[IM1:712]
Graphic shows that although unemployment lines have been long before, no prior slump since World War II has hurt so much on so many
US
2009-07-29: [URL="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/04/29/business/2009-wide-housing-graphic.html?emc=eta3"]Home Prices in
fronts. Justin Lahart, Wall Street Journal.
Economy Selected Cities, Through May 2009[/URL]:House prices in San Francisco slowed after the dot-com bust and have dropped significantly in 2008
and 2009.
[IM1:718]
Graphic shows the change in the home prices in individual cities vs. the U.S. 20 City Index. Kevin Quealy, New York Times.
US
2009-08-04: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124930793954601517.html"]Decline Levels Off In Manufacturing[/url].
Economy [IM1:729]
The decline in the U.S. manufacturing sector continued to ease in July as factories boosted output, an early sign that manufacturers and the
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Economy
2009-08-04: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124931253429401705.html#project%3DAUTOS90218%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]Clunker
Plan Gives Car Sales a Lift[/url].
[IM1:728]
U.S. auto sales in July climbed to their highest pace in 11 months, as customers rushed to showrooms amid uncertainty about the future of the
federal government's "Cash for Clunkers" incentive program.
CA Prisons 2009-08-05:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/05/us/05calif.html?scp=1&sq=federal%20judges%20order%20california%20prisons&st=cse"]California
Prisons Must Cut Inmate Population[/url].
[IM1:727]
A panel of federal judges ordered the California prison system on Tuesday to reduce its inmate population of 150,000 by 40,000 ??” roughly 27
US
2009-08-07: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124956255740210915.html"]Senate Adds $2 Billion to 'Clunkers' Plan[/url].
percent ??” within two years. The judges said that reducing prison crowding in California was the only way to change what they called an
Economy [IM1:723]
unconstitutional prison health care system that causes one unnecessary death a week.
The Senate passed by a 60-37 vote a proposal to add $2 billion to the government's "cash for clunkers" program, as major U.S. auto makers
weighed whether to increase production to restock dealer lots.
Healthcare 2009-08-07: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124958049241511735.html"]France Fights Universal Care's High Cost[/url].
[IM1:724]
[IM1:726]
France claims it long ago achieved much of what today's U.S. health-care overhaul is seeking: It covers everyone, and provides what
supporters say is high-quality care. But soaring costs are pushing the system into crisis. The result: As Congress fights over whether America
should be more like France, the French government is trying to borrow U.S. tactics.
US Federal 2009-08-07: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124960404730212955.html"]Congress Gets an Upgrade[/url]
Deficit
[IM1:725]
Congress plans to spend $550 million to buy eight jets, a substantial upgrade to the fleet used by federal officials at a time when lawmakers
have criticized the use of corporate jets by companies receiving taxpayer funds.
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Unemployment
2009-08-07: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124964812540714249.html"]Job Losses Slow as Rate Drops[/url].
[IM1:720]
[IM1:721]
U.S. job losses tapered off last month while the unemployment rate surprisingly fell, suggesting that the recession is nearing an end. Brian
Blackstone. Wall Street Journal.
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2009-08-07:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/07/business/economy/07stimulus.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=economists%20see%20a%20limited%20lift%20from%20stimulus%20plan&st=cse"]Economists
See a Limited Lift From Stimulus Plan[/url]
[IM1:722]
Even as the Obama administration braces for another grim report about job losses on Friday, economists say that the president??™s $787
US
2009-08-10: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/business/02metrics.html?emc=eta1"]For the Unemployed, the Day Stacks Up
billion stimulus package has helped blunt the downturn in limited but discernible ways.
Unemployment
Differently[/url].
Nearly 1 in 10 members of the American work force are unemployed ??” a level not seen in 27 years. Without a paying job, these Americans
have picked up other forms of labor: vacuuming the house, sending out r?©sum?©s, taking classes and caring for family. And the unemployed
have more time for leisure and socializing.
Global
Economy
Sunday Business analyzed new data from the American Time Use Survey to compare the 2008 weekday activities of the employed and
unemployed. The comparison may seem obvious, but differences in time spent by these two groups can be striking. The annual time use
survey, which asks thousands of residents to recall every minute of a single day, is important to economists trying to value the time spent by
those not bringing
2009-08-11:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124990326465819175.html"]Chinese
home a paycheck. Cox, Carter, Quealy and Schoenfeld, The New York
Oil Times.
Firms Bid $17 Billion to Expand[/url].
[IM1:730]
[IM1:736]
[IM1:731]
China National Petroleum Corp. and Cnooc Ltd. have proposed paying at least $17 billion for all of Repsol YPF SA's stake in YPF, its
Argentine unit, two people close to the talks said.
The potential deal, which could be the biggest overseas investment by China, highlights the country's growing thirst for energy resources
globally and its willingness to offer big money for access. It also underlines the ambition of CNPC to build its presence in South America and
elsewhere. Poon, Wall Street Journal.
Bankruptcies
2009-08-11: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124994892736221145.html"]Distressed Takeovers Soar[/url].
[IM1:734]
New data show that distressed-debt deals -- in which creditors use their debt positions to seize ownership of troubled companies -- are running
close to double the pace of 2008. Some 140 of the deals have been struck during 2009, compared with 102 transactions for all of last year,
according to data provider Dealogic. Those figures also include corporate takeovers, encompassing a wide array of transactions related to
693
694
Education 2009-08-11:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/education/12college.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=study%20shows%20rise%20in%20average%20borrowing%20by%20students&st=cse"]Study
Shows Rise in Average Borrowing by Students[/url].
[IM1:742]
Although about a third of the students who earned bachelor??™s degrees in 2007-8 graduated with no debt, nearly the same as four years
US
2009-08-12: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124999375643622537.html"]Productivity Leaps as Companies Reduce Costs[/url].
earlier, the average amount students borrow has increased, according to a policy brief released Tuesday by the College Board. Lewin. The
Employment[IM1:738]
New York Times.
U.S. productivity staged its biggest gain in nearly six years in the second quarter despite the contraction in the overall economy, suggesting
companies have adjusted to the recession by cutting jobs and workers' hours.
Nonfarm business productivity rose a higher-than-expected 6.4% at an annual rate last quarter, the most since the third quarter of 2003, the
Labor Department said in preliminary figures. Barkley. The Wall Street Journal.
695
696
697
698
699
700
US
Economy
2009-08-13: [url="http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2009/08/13/a-look-inside-feds-balance-sheet-81309-update/"]A Look Inside Fed's Balance
Sheet[/url].
[IM1:741]
The Fed??™s balance sheet expanded in the latest week, but remained below $2 trillion. Direct-bank lending edged up a bit, but remains
below $275 billion. The makeup of the balance sheet continued to shift out of emergency facilities and into debt holdings. Treasurys and
Global
2009-08-13:
agency debt continued their upward march, though holdings of mortgage-backed securities were flat. The Fed started a program in March to
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125014420293928457.html#project%3DEU_GDP0809%26articleTabs%3Dinteractive"]France, Germany
ramp up such acquisitions in order to push down long-term interest rates low. Central-bank liquidity swaps declined again, as overseas
Rebound[/url].
demand for dollars continues to abate. The commercial paper and money market facilities dropped again and at their lowest levels since
[IM1:740]
inception, as companies decide to take their funds out and tap investors directly as sentiment in the market improves.
Europe's two biggest economies escaped from recession surprisingly quickly, with Germany and France returning to growth in the second
quarter thanks in part to government stimulus efforts and consumer spending.
Germany, Europe's biggest economy, grew at an annualized pace of 1.3% in the second quarter, while France, the region's second-biggest
2009-08-13: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125016650493828937.html#mod=article-outset-box"]Retail Sales Fell in July Despite
economy, expanded at an annualized rate of 1.4%. Both countries posted deep contractions for the previous four quarters but have bounced
Clunkers Program[/url].
back earlier than other advanced economies including the U.S. and U.K.
[IM1:739]
U.S. retail sales unexpectedly fell in July despite the debut of the government's "cash for clunkers" program meant to jump-start the auto
business and help turn around the economy.
Technology 2009-08-13: [url="http://www.economist.com/businessfinance/displayStory.cfm?story_id=14214847"]America Loses Its Landlines[/url].
[IM1:747]
US
Economy
The decline in landline use, which has been under way for several years, has picked up speed in recent months. In the first half of 2005 only
7.3% of households were mobile-only, according to America??™s Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which collects such data
because it uses landlines for health surveys. By the end of last year the proportion had reached 20.2%??”increasing by 2.7 percentage points
Global
in the second[url="http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=14209825"]Emerging
2009-08-13:
half of last year alone, the biggest-ever increase (see chart).
Asian Economies: On the Rebound[/url].
Economies [IM1:745]
[IM1:746]
More green shoots have appeared in America in recent weeks, but they are nothing by comparison with the lush jungle sprouting in the East.
Asia??™s emerging economies probably grew at an average annualised rate of over 10% in the second quarter, while America??™s GDP fell
by 1%. In 2009 as a whole, recent forecasts suggest that emerging Asia could grow by at least 5%, while the G7 economies contract by 3.5%.
The growth gap between the two has never been wider.
Global
2009-08-14: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125019827474330215.html"]Lack of Credit Growth Need Not Be a Disaster[/url].
Economies [IM1:744]
The news that Europe's economic engine is rebounding suggests the region is joining the recovery under way in China and increasingly
elsewhere in Asia, exemplified by India's announcement Wednesday that industrial production in June rose nearly 8% from a year earlier.
That contrasts with uneven consumer spending in the U.S., where retail sales unexpectedly fell 0.1% in July, as American households are
hurting from job losses, a weak housing market and tight credit.
701
US
Economy
2009-08-14: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125020035046730325.html"]Putting Supply and Demand Together Again[/url].
[IM1:743]
Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires estimate that industrial production rose 0.6% in July. It has fallen every month this year, and
17 of the past 18 months, so even a small tick up could be a sign that the trough has been hit, though it will take a few more months to
establish a trend.
Capacity utilization, which measures the percentage of industrial production capacity being used and hit a record low at 68% last month, also is
expected to rise, to 68.5%.
702
US
Economy
703
US
Housing
Market
704
US
Economy
705
Real Estate 2009-08-19: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125064323001941927.html"]How Far Up Will Dubai Tower Finally Top Out?[/URL]: Emaar
Properties remains mum as questions surround the world's tallest structure as its opening is delayed.
[IM1:753]
Graphic shows that even though the Burj Dubai hasn't opened yet, it's already in the record books as the world's tallest building and the highest
man-made structure. Stefania Bianchi, Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-08-19:
Economy [URL="http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/19/how-much-competition-among-insurers/?scp=2&sq=states%20of%20competition&st=cse"]From
Many Choices to Few[/URL]: The debate over whether the government should offer a public insurance plan is all about competition. How
competitive is the private insurance market right now? It depends on where you live.
[IM1:755]
Public
2009-08-20: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125055572526338767.html"]Post-Partisan Promise Fizzles[/url].
Graphic shows the dominant insurer's market share in certain states. Anne Underwood, New York Times.
Opinion
[IM1:764]
Barack Obama campaigned last year on a pledge to end the angry partisanship in Washington. He wasn't the first to promise a post-partisan
presidency: Both George W. Bush and Bill Clinton offered a similar change, only to see the mutual hostility between Republicans and
Democrats increase while they were in the White House.
706
707
708
US
Economy
709
Human
Health
710
Human
Health
711
712
2009-08-17: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204251404574344700380597382.html"]Fannie Mae Enron, the
Sequel[/URL]: When Larry Summers and his White House economic team next take up the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, one idea up
for debate will be shifting the mortgage giants' bad assets into a government-owned "bad bank." Fannie and Freddie would be left with clean
balance sheets and a new lease on life.
[IM1:751]
2009-08-19: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125059815454439873.html"]Housing Data Show Slowly Firming Market[/URL]: New-home
Graphic shows the debt held by the public as share of GDP. Review and Outlook, Wall Street Journal.
construction and permits fell last month, but single-family-home starts remained strong, another sign of stabilization in the housing market.
[IM1:752]
Graphic shows the U.S. housing starts, measured at a seasonally adjusted annual rate. Sara Murray, Wall Street Journal.
2009-08-19: [URL="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125063608198641491.html"]Justice - Wait for It - on the Checkout Line[/URL]: Many
supermarkets are falling behind when it comes to improving queues at the register, driving shoppers nuts.
[IM1:754]
Graphic shows the average wait times in grocery-store lines, in minutes. Carl Bialik, Wall Street Journal.
Now, just as his predecessors did, Mr. Obama is seeing that promise turn to ashes. Angry town-hall meetings, slumping presidential approval
poll numbers and rising opposition to his signature health-care proposals suggest an early resumption of politics as usual.
2009-08-21:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/21/business/economy/21inequality.html?scp=5&sq=last%20year,%20the%20number%20of%20americans%20with%20a%20net%20work%20of%20at%20least&st=cse"
a 30-Year Run, the Rise of the Super-Rich Hits a Wall[/url].
[IM1:765]
The rich, as a group, are no longer getting richer. Over the last two years, they have become poorer. And many may not return to their old
levels of wealth and income anytime soon.
For every investment banker whose pay has recovered to its prerecession levels, there are several who have lost their jobs ??” as well as
2009-08-24: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125113826894254439.html"]Feeling Sluggish[/url].
many wealthy investors who have lost millions. As a result, economists and other analysts say, a 30-year period in which the super-rich
[IM1:761]
became both wealthier and more numerous may now be ending.
Health care in India lags behind the rest of the world. Anand and Misquitta. The Wall Street Journal.
2009-08-24: [url="http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/?scp=1-spot&sq=prescriptions&st=cse"]A Concentration of Health Expenses[/url].
[IM1:760]
In 2006, health care expenses among half the United States population totaled less than $800 per individual, according to the federal Agency
for Healthcare Research and Quality. But the expenditures were not uniformly distributed throughout the overall population. Spending was far
higher among the elderly, the obese and people who identified themselves as unhealthy. Median spending in those groups totaled $2,300 per
US Federal 2009-08-24: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/business/economy/24debt.html"]A Growing Obligation[/url].
individual. Although these patients represent just one-third of the population, they accounted for almost 60 percent of health care spending.
Debt
[IM1:763]
Debt held by the public stood at #3.4 trillion when President Bush took office in 2001. When President Obama was inaugurated in January, the
debt was $6.3 trillion. Since then, it has grown by $1 trillion, to $7.3 trillion.
US Politics 2009-08-25:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/us/politics/24confirm.html?scp=1&sq=obama%20team%20lacking%20most%20of%20top%20players&st=cse"]Obama
Team Lacking Most of Top Players[/url].
[IM1:762]
As President Obama tries to turn around a summer of setbacks, he finds himself still without most of his own team. Seven months into his
presidency, fewer than half of his top appointees are in place advancing his agenda."
713
Global
2009-08-27: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125128133879660199.html"]World Trade Volume Climbs 2.5%[/url].
Economies [IM1:766]
New data suggest the decline in world trade flows could be bottoming out, a key condition for the global economy to emerge from recession.
Trade volumes in June increased by 2.5% from May, the biggest increase in a single month since July 2008, according to figures published
Wednesday by the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, an independent research institute. Hannon and Miller. Wall Street
Journal
714
Retail
715
The release of the iPhone in China could turbocharge overseas growth for what is already Apple's fastest-growing product. China is the world's
largest mobile market by subscribers, with some 687 million subscribers. That compares with more than 270 million subscribers in the U.S.
Chao, Ye, and Kane. Wall Street Journal.
Global
2009-08-27: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125131076536461241.html"]Likely Japan Leaders to Focus on Asian Ties[/url].
Economies [IM1:768]
Japan will likely seek greater independence from the U.S., and focus more on its ties with China and the rest of Asia, under new leadership
expected to take power after elections on Sunday.
716
717
2009-08-27: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125129375627560585.html"]Apple, Facing Competition, Readies iPhone for Giant China
Market[/url].
[IM1:767]
Apple Inc. is getting closer to clearing the hurdles to start selling iPhones in China, one of the last major phone markets Apple has yet to tap.
Early tests of how far Japan's foreign policy might shift will come as the incoming government considers the fate of U.S. military facilities on
Okinawa -- which are unpopular locally -- and whether it will keep helping refuel U.S. ships in the Indian Ocean. Japan's response to China's
interest in natural-gas resources located in waters claimed by both countries also will offer clues. Tejada and Ramstad. Wall Street Journal.
Education 2009-08-29: Have the smartest kids in America been shortchanged by No Child Left Behind? Two prominent education scholars think so, as
outlined in their [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/28/opinion/28petrilli.html"]New York Times Editorial[/url], but Data360 editor John Rudoy
does not agree. Click the graph below or [URL="http://www.data360.org/adm_gg_comment.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=1295"]here[/url] to see his
US
comments. [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125167116756270697.html"]Big Firms are Quick to Collect, Slow to Pay[/url].
2009-08-29:
Economy [IM1:772]
[DG:2120]
Large corporations are tightening the screws on their smaller counterparts as the credit crunch intensifies companies' efforts to hold on to their
cash.
In an example of corporate Darwinism at work, the recent round of quarterly earnings results showed companies with annual revenue of more
than $5 billion sped up their collection of cash from customers while slowing their own payments to suppliers.
718
Public
Opinion
2009-08-29: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/29/opinion/29blow.html?scp=1&sq=inbalance%20of%20trust&st=cse"]Imbalance of
Trust[/url].
[IM1:770]
Americans seem to trust the government substantially more after a Republican president is elected than they do after a Democratic one is
elected ??” at least at the outset.
Since 1976, the polls have occasionally included the following question: ???How much of the time do you think you can trust the government in
Washington to do what is right ??” just about always, most of the time, or only some of the time????
719
720
The first poll taken in which this question was asked after Ronald Reagan assumed office found that 51 percent trusted the government in
Washington to do the right thing just about always or most of the time. For George H.W. Bush, it was 44 percent, and for George W. Bush it
Population 2009-08-30:
was 55 percent. Now compare that with the Democrats. In Jimmy Carter??™s first poll, it was 35 percent. In Bill Clinton??™s, it was 24
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/us/30florida.html?scp=1&sq=the%20loss%20is%20more%20than%20a%20data%20point&st=cse"]Tide
percent, and for Barack Obama??™s, it was only 20 percent. (It should be noted that the first poll conducted during George W. Bush??™s
Turning, Florida Sees Itself Shrink[/url].
presidency came on the heels of 9/11.)
[IM1:777]
Choked by a record level of foreclosures and unemployment, along with a helping of disillusionment, the state??™s population declined by
US
2009-08-31: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125166830374670517.html"]Raft of Deals for Failed Banks Puts US on Hook for Billions[/url].
58,000 people from April 2008 to April 2009, according to the University of Florida??™s Bureau of Economic and Business Research. Except
Economy [IM1:771]
for the years around World Wars I and II, it was the state??™s first population loss since at least 1900.
The biggest spur to deal-making among banks isn't private-equity cash or foreign investors. It is the federal government.
To encourage banks to pick through the wreckage of their collapsed competitors, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has agreed to assume
most of the risk on $80 billion in loans and other assets. The agency expects it will eventually have to cover $14 billion in future losses on deals
cut so far. The initiative amounts to a subsidy for dozens of hand-picked banks.
721
US Retail
2009-08-31: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125167502443470973.html"]Bottled-Water Price War Heats Up as Demand Falls[/url].
[IM1:773]
Bottled-water makers have stepped up a months-long price war this summer to win back customers who have turned on the tap to save money
722
Global
2009-08-31: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125167605216971091.html"]Deflation, Job Losses a Twin Blow for Japan[/url].
Economies [IM1:774]
Deflation worsened in Japan while the jobless rate rose to a record in July, government data showed, in another reminder of the weak state of
the domestic sector even as the overall economy returns to mild growth.
As companies worried about the economic outlook lay off more workers, Japan's jobless rate rose to 5.7% in July, a 0.3 percentage point
increase from June and worse than the 5.5% level forecast by economists.
723
724
Immigration2009-08-31: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/31/us/31elder.html?scp=1&sq=invisible%20immigrants&st=cse"]Invisible Immigrants, Old
and with 'Nobody to Talk To'[/url].
[IM1:775]
In 1965 changes to immigration policy allowed naturalized citizens to sponsor the immigration of parents without quota restrictions. By 1996, a
growing perception that elderly immigrants were ???gaming the system??? ??” that their children were pledging to support them and then
enrolling their parents in the Supplemental Security Income and food stamp programs ??” became an impetus for welfare reform. Congress
imposed a five-year waiting period for Medicaid and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and restricted S.S.I. and food stamp eligibility
for adults.
Defense
2009-09-01: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125171718622772181.html"]General Seeks Shift in Afghan Strategy[/url].
[IM1:769]
In 2007, according to census data, about 16 percent of immigrant seniors lived below the poverty line, compared with 12 percent of native-born
The U.S. and its allies need to change course in Afghanistan to salvage the faltering war effort and prevent the Taliban from extending their
elderly, said Steven P. Wallace, the associate director of the Center for Health Policy Research at the University of California, Los Angeles.
recent gains, the top American commander in Afghanistan warned in a highly anticipated strategic assessment.
Another 24 percent of immigrant elderly are ???the near-poor,??? he said, ???sitting on the edge of a cliff.???
The Obama administration has already signed off on the deployment of 21,000 reinforcements, pushing U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan to a
record 68,000.
A senior military official in Kabul said Gen. McChrystal was evaluating proposals from his staff that call for requesting as few as four additional
brigades, or 14,000 to 20,000 more troops, or as many as eight brigades.
725
Human
Health
Gen. McChrystal will detail his final decision on troop levels in a second report later this month, according to U.S. officials familiar with the
matter.
2009-09-03: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125193614108781629.html"]Pot 'Plantations' on the Rise[/url].
[IM1:778]
Marijuana growers, many believed to be affiliated with Mexican drug cartels, are aggressively expanding their illegal farming operations in the
U.S., clearing land to plant pot in dozens of national forests from coast to coast.
Illicit cannabis farms on public land first sprang up in California more than a decade ago and remain a serious problem in that state. But in the
past two years, the U.S. Forest Service has documented a rapid expansion of the practice.
Authorities have discovered pot farms in 61 national forests across 16 states this year, up from 49 forests in 10 states last year. New territories
include public land in Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, Alabama and Virginia. Simon. Wall Street Journal.
726
Human
Health
2009-09-04: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125198466331383281.html"]Swine Flu Remains Mild as Vaccine Advances[/url].
[IM1:784]
The H1N1 swine-flu virus is sickening many people around the world, but so far isn't becoming more virulent, health experts said Thursday,
giving a bit of breathing room to pharmaceutical companies and officials rushing to deliver a vaccine. Wall Street Journal.
727
State
Budgets
2009-09-04: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125202235182685075.html"]States Shut Down to Save Cash[/url].
[IM1:783]
Across the country, cash-strapped state governments are shutting down business for a day at a time to save money. State offices are
shuttered Friday in California, Maine, Maryland and Michigan. Rhode Island had planned to join them until a judge on Thursday blocked its
closure plan. Some state agencies are closed in Georgia and Wisconsin, and most Colorado state offices will be shuttered on Tuesday. Other
states, such as Arizona, have been trying to keep their operations open while furloughing thousands of workers.
728
US
Economy
729
Public
Opinion
So far the effect of furloughs appears to have been muted, with most people able to take care of state business in advance of closures or by
2009-09-05:
filing forms online. Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/05/business/economy/05charts.html?scp=1&sq=construction%20loans%20falter,%20a%20bad%20omen%20for%20banks&st=cse"]Construction
Loans Falter, a Bad Omen for Banks[/url].
[IM1:782]
Reports filed by banks with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation indicate that at the end of June about one-sixth of all construction loans
2009-09-07:
were in trouble. With more than half a trillion dollars in such loans outstanding, that represents a source of major losses for banks. Norris. New
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/07/us/politics/07obama.html?scp=1&sq=obama%20faces%20a%20critical%20moment%20for%20his%20struggling%20presidency&st=cse"]Obama
York Times.
Faces a Critical Moment for His Struggling Presidency[/url].
[IM1:781]
With his honeymoon seemingly over and his White House on the defensive, Mr. Obama faces what friends and foes alike call a make-or-break
730
Human
Health
731
Energy
2009-09-07:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/health/08stat.html?scp=1&sq=death%20rates%20are%20at%20a%20record%20low%20and%20life%20expectancy%20is%20at%20a%20record%20high%20&st=cs
and 17.9: Longevity Rises[/url].
[IM1:804]
Death rates are at a record low and life expectancy is at a record high in the United States, according to the latest figures from the Centers for
2009-09-08: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204409904574350342705855178.htm;"]The New Nukes[/url].
Disease Control and Prevention. Bakalar. New York Times.
[IM1:779]
If there ever were a time that seemed ripe for nuclear energy, it's now.
For the first time in decades, popular opinion is on the industry's side. A majority of Americans thinks nuclear power, which emits virtually no
carbon dioxide, is a safe and effective way to battle climate change, according to recent polls. At the same time, legislators are showing
renewed interest in nuclear as they hunt for ways to slash greenhouse-gas emissions. Smith. Wall Street Journal.
732
Human
Health
2009-09-08:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/health/policy/08cost.html?scp=1&sq=data%20fuel%20regional%20fight%20on%20medicare%20spending&st=cse"]Data
Fuel Regional Fight on Medicare Spending[/url].
[IM1:780]
WASHINGTON ??” For years, health policy experts have said health care spending is much higher in New York City and Boston because
doctors and hospitals there provide more services, practicing medicine in a more intensive way.
But new government data show that Medicare costs per patient in those cities are slightly below the national average when the numbers are
adjusted for the cost of living and other factors.
733
US
Economy
2009-09-10:
The
new numbers add fuel to a raging debate over what Congress should do to reduce geographic disparities in Medicare spending. The
debate involves a combustible mix of health policy and money. Pear. New York Times.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125254156520197777.html#project%3DEQUALCHRTBK0909%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]Income
Gap
Shrinks in Slump At the Expense of the Wealthy[/url].
[IM1:786]
The deepest downturn in the U.S. economy since the Great Depression may finally shrink the gap between the very best-off Americans and
everyone else.
If so, it won't be by lifting up the bottom. It will be by pulling down the top.
734
US
Economy
735
US
Economy
736
737
Over the past 30 years, chief executives, Wall Street bankers and traders, law-firm partners and such amassed ever-greater incomes, while
the incomes of factory workers, teachers, office managers and others in the middle grew much more slowly. In 2007, the top 1% of U.S.
2009-09-10:
families accounted for 23.5% of all personal income in the U.S., according to economists Emmanuel Saez of the University of California at
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125259099642699581.html#mod%3DWSJ_hps_LEFTWhatsNews%26project%3DCENSUS_INSUREDTOTALS%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]Recession
Berkeley and Thomas Piketty of the Paris School of Economics. That was a level not seen since the Roaring Twenties. Davis and Frank. Wall
Takes Heavy Toll on U.S.[/url].
Street Journal.
[IM1:785]
The recession has slashed families' earnings, increased poverty and left more people without health insurance, according to the Census
Bureau's annual snapshot of living standards, offering sharp evidence of how much the falling economy has touched Americans across
incomes and race.
2009-09-10:
The report released Thursday showed median household income, adjusted for inflation, fell 3.6% last year to $50,303, the steepest
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/us/10gambling.html?scp=1&sq=others,%20however%20argue%20that%20the%20current%20decline%20is%20temporary&st=cse"]States
year-over-year drop since at least 1967. The poverty rate, at 13.2%, was the highest since 1997, while about 700,000 more people didn't have
Face Drop in Casino and Lottery Revenues for First Time[/url].
health insurance in 2008 than the year before, though the share of the population without coverage was about the same. Dougherty. Wall
[IM1:788]
Street Journal.
Casinos and lotteries in most states are reporting a downturn in revenue for the first time, resulting in a drop in the money collected by state
and local governments, according to new state data.
Human
The decline comes
2009-09-10:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/world/10child.html"]Children
as states are rapidly expanding gambling in hopes of stemming Mortality
severe budget
Rate Declines
shortfalls,Globally[/url].
and it indicates that gambling is
Health
not insulated from broader economic forces like recessions, as has been argued in the past. Urbina. New York Times.
[IM1:787]
The number of children dying before their fifth birthdays each year has fallen below nine million for the first time on record, a significant
milestone in the global effort to improve children??™s chances of survival, particularly in the developing world, according to data that Unicef
will release on Thursday.
The child mortality rate has declined by more than a quarter in the last two decades ??” to 65 per 1,000 live births last year from 90 in 1990 ??”
Education 2009-09-12:
in large part because
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125270544931104513.html"]Dropouts
of the widening distribution of relatively inexpensive technologies, Aim
like measles
for Second
vaccines
Chance[/url].
and anti-malaria mosquito nets.
Dugger. New York Times.
[IM1:791]
A growing number of Americans are taking high school equivalency tests in their hunt for any leg up in a bleak labor market.
Adult-education centers across the country report backlogs and waiting lists for prep courses cramming dozens of topics and years of lessons
into weeks or months. But the potential for a better job and pay that drives many to seek a General Educational Development diploma comes
with a caveat: The certificate generally is of limited value unless students use it as a stepping-stone to further education. Kalita. Wall Street
Journal.
738
Public
Opinion
2009-09-12:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/12/opinion/12blow.html?scp=1&sq=in%20barack%20obama%27s%20memoir&st=cse"]Fired Up?
Ready to Fight?[/url].
[IM1:792]
Just after the election, many of the president??™s most strident opponents seemed willing to take a wait-and-see attitude. They??™ve waited,
and they don??™t like what they??™ve seen. So they??™ve developed a rigor mortis-like resistance to change, and hope has become a
four-letter word.
739
Human
Health
2009-09-13: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/us/13water.html?scp=1&sq=clean%20water%20acts%20violation&st=Search"]Clean
According to an Associated Press-GfK poll released on the day of the president??™s address, the percentage of respondents who said that
Water Laws Are Neglected, at a Cost in Suffering[/url].
they strongly approved of the way he is doing his job has dropped from 41 percent in December to 24 percent now. The percentage who said
[IM1:793]
that they strongly disapproved has gone from 6 percent to 35 percent. Blow. New York Times.
In the last five years alone, chemical factories, manufacturing plants and other workplaces have violated water pollution laws more than half a
million times. The violations range from failing to report emissions to dumping toxins at concentrations regulators say might contribute to
cancer, birth defects and other illnesses.
740
US
Economy
741
Global
2009-09-15: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125295068841109309.html"]Protectionist Measures Expected to Rise, Report Warns[/url].
Those that were left shrank down to a fraction of their former market capitalizations by early 2009, but since then, they all have grown. While
Economies [IM1:789]
most are nowhere near their former size, two ??” JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo ??” are slightly larger than they were at the market??™s
A report by the World Trade Organization, backed by its 153 members and also released Monday, found "slippage" in promises to abstain from
peak. Russell and Carter. New York Times.
protectionism, but drew less dramatic conclusions.
However, the vast majority of those polluters have escaped punishment. State officials have repeatedly ignored obvious illegal dumping, and
2009-09-13:
the Environmental Protection Agency, which can prosecute polluters when states fail to act, has often declined to intervene. Duhigg. New York
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/09/12/business/financial-markets-graphic.html?scp=1&sq=all%20the%20giants%20of%20finance%20shrunk&st=cse"]How
Times.
the Giants of Finance Shrank, then Grew Under the Financial Crisis[/url].
[IM1:794]
Since the stock market??™s peak in October 2007, Wall Street??™s landscape has been permanently altered. Lehman Brothers, gone. Bear
Stearns, gone. Merrill Lynch, gone. Main Street??™s landscape has also changed. Wachovia, National City, Washington Mutual and
Countrywide, all gone. These venerable financial giants all crumbled under the weight of the financial crisis.
Governments have planned 130 protectionist measures that have yet to be implemented, according to the GTA's research. These include state
aid funds, higher tariffs, immigration restrictions and export subsidies. Miller. Wall Street Journal.
742
US
Housing
Market
2009-09-15: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125297162259710323.html"]No Easy Exit for US as Housing Market's Savior[/url].
[IM1:790]
After a year of extraordinary interventions in the economy, the federal government is starting to pare its support for the private sector.
In a speech on Wall Street a year after Lehman Brothers collapsed, President Barack Obama said Monday the need for the government to
keep stabilizing the financial system "is waning." His administration released a 51-page report detailing rescue programs that are slowly being
scaled back. But the Treasury Department, author of the report, noted that housing is one area where it's too early to exit. Solomon and
Hilsenrath. Wall
2009-09-17:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125314650064418009.html"]With
Street Journal.
a Quick Rise, Hard Fall, Home Lender Marked an Era[/url].
[IM1:795]
Total new home-mortgage volume, with the amount backed by government-related entities. Hagerty and Timiraos. Wall Street Journal.
743
US
Economy
744
US
Housing
Market
2009-09-17: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125319026264319443.html"]Housing Starts Post Moderate Rise[/url].
[IM1:796]
Housing starts rose modestly as apartment construction rebounded and offset the first decline in single-family home starts after five straight
increases, underscoring the fragility of the economic recovery. Bater and Randall. Wall Street Journal.
745
US
Economy
2009-09-18: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125323149001521429.html"]Household Wealth Advances by 3.9%[/url].
[IM1:802]
For the first time in nearly two years, American households grew a little wealthier in the second quarter, but they have a long way to go to
recover what they've lost in the downturn.
Advances in stocks and home prices drove the gains, the Federal Reserve said in a report Thursday. In response to the recession, families
also saved more and borrowed less, shedding some of the debt owed on their homes and credit cards.
746
The central bank's quarterly flow of funds report, a broad snapshot of the assets and liabilities of U.S. households and businesses, showed that
household net worth grew 3.9% to $53.1 trillion in the April-June period from the first quarter. But it was still down almost 19% from the $65.3
trillion peak in the third quarter of 2007, just before the stock market reached its high. Reddy. Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-09-18: [url="http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/JOBSMAP09.html"]State-by-state Unemployment[/url].
Employment[IM1:798]
Follow the change in unemployment from the beginning of the current recession. The state-by-state unemployment rate from the Bureau of
747
Energy - 2009-09-20:
Electricity [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/business/energy-environment/20efficiency.html?scp=1&sq=energy%20experts%20say%20that%20manufacturers%20have%20paid%20too%20little%20attention%20
Plugged-In Age, With a Hunger for Electricity but Few Standards[/url].
[IM1:801]
Worldwide, consumer electronics now represent 15 percent of household power demand, and that is expected to triple over the next two
decades, according to the International Energy Agency, making it more difficult to tackle the greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global
warming.
748
Retail
749
750
2009-09-21:
To satisfy the demand from gadgets will require building the equivalent of 560 coal-fired power plants, or 230 nuclear plants, according to the
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/22/business/global/22hyundai.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=it%20was%20not%20exactly%20a%20planned%20strategy&st=cse"]With
agency. Mouawad and Galbraith. New York Times.
Its Low Prices, Hyundai is Building Market Share[/url].
[IM1:800]
After years of struggling to prove to consumers than it was more than a second-tier brand, Hyundai Motor America and its affiliate, Kia Motor
Human
2009-09-22: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125356566517528879.html"]New Light on the Plight of Winter Babies[/url].
America, accounted for 8percent of the new-vehicle market in the United States in August, more than Chrysler??™s 7.4 percent. The company
Health
[IM1:799]
sold more than 60,000 vehicles last month as buyers rushed to take advantage of the government??™s cash-for-clunkers program before its
Children born in the winter months already have a few strikes against them. Study after study has shown that they test poorly, don't get as far
end. Bunkley. New York Times.
in school, earn less, are less healthy, and don't live as long as children born at other times of year. Researchers have spent years documenting
the effect and trying to understand it. Lahart. Wall Street Journal.
Immigration2009-09-22: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125356996157829123.html"]Recession Hits Immigrants Hard[/url].
[IM1:797]
The number of foreign-born residents of the U.S. declined for the first time since at least 1970, as a recession and tight labor market dented
America's image as the land of opportunity.
A decline in construction jobs lured fewer immigrants from their home countries, especially those from Mexico, according to the Census
Bureau's annual American Community Survey. Dougherty and Jordan. Wall Street Journal.
751
752
753
754
755
756
757
Global
Climate
2009-09-23:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/science/earth/23cool.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=the%20world%20leaders%20who%20met%20at%20the%20united%20nations%20to%20discuss%20climate%20change&
in Temperatures Adds Difficulty to Task of Reaching a Solution[/url].
[IM1:803]
The world leaders who met at the United Nations to discuss climate change on Tuesday are faced with an intricate challenge: building
Non-profits 2009-09-24:
momentum for an international climate treaty at a time when global temperatures have been relatively stable for a decade and may even drop
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/24/us/24debt.html?scp=1&sq=assets%20held%20by%20nonprofits%20grew%20to%20&st=cse"]Nonprofits
in the next few years. Revkin. New York Times.
Are Paying the Price for Gambles on Finances[/url].
[IM1:805]
Far from being conservative stewards of their assets, many nonprofits engaged in what some experts call risky financial behavior. ???They did
US
2009-09-26: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125392874638642923.html"]States and Towns Lean on Taxpayers[/url].
auction-rate securities, interest-rate arbitrage, complex swaps ??” which backfired on them the same way it would backfire on any hedge fund
Economy [IM1:815]
or asset manager,??? said Clara Miller, chief executive of the Nonprofit Finance Fund, which has experienced a huge increase in organizations
State and municipal governments, struggling with sinking revenue, are raising money by levying fees on consumers, slapping local businesses
turning to it for assistance with soured bonds. ???Organizations got to be all fancy-pants with their financial management.??? Strom. New York
with back taxes and tweaking tax laws in ways that force many businesses to pay more. Dougherty. Wall Street Journal.
Times.
US Federal 2009-09-26:
Debt
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/26/business/economy/26charts.html?scp=1&sq=is%20borrowing%20money%20like%20never%20before&st=cse"]A
Rich Uncle is Picking Up the Borrowing Slack[/url].
[IM1:812]
The United States government is borrowing money like never before. The national debt rose by more than a third over a one-year period, far
Global
2009-09-29:
more than it ever did at any time since World War II. Norris. New York Times.
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125417559519247515.html#project%3DREPLACECHRTBK0909%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]China Inc.
Looks Homeward for Profits[/url].
With the longtime engine of global growth, the American consumer, pummeled by recession, some of China's hugely productive exporters are
eyeing a new market: the Chinese. Batson. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:816] China's consumer spending has been growing very rapidly...
US
[IM1:817] And
2009-09-29:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125417989137347729.html"]Downturn
there is further room for growth.
Weighs on Poor[/url].
Economy [IM1:818].
Poverty rose in the West and Midwest last year, as slowdowns in housing and manufacturing sent more families below the poverty line,
according to a Census Bureau report. Dougherty. Wall Street Journal.
Education 2009-09-30: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125423867747249621.html"]Princeton's Endowment Declines 23%[/url].
[IM1:814]
Princeton University, joining a host of wealthy colleges with poor investment results, reported that its endowment shrank 23% over the past
year, shedding $3.7 billion. Hechinger. Wall Street Journal.
758
Travel
759
US
Economy
760
US
Economy
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
2009-09-30: [url="http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/MK-AY631A_BAGTE_NS_20090929225621.gif"]Airline Industry Gets Smarter With
Bags[/url].
[IM1:813]
Air travelers hate to lose luggage and so do airlines, which spend more than $3 billion annually on stray bags. Rather than just add more
muscle to heave suitcases faster, airlines and airports are getting smarter. They're introducing advanced scanners and luggage tags with radio
2009-10-01: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125431960273352535.html"]Banks Bite Bullet on Loans[/url].
signals to improve baggage tracking at airports, including in Amsterdam and Las Vegas. Michaels. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:809]
Banks and loan investors are starting to bite the bullet and lower the principal due on home mortgages for some struggling borrowers, a new
report from bank regulators shows. Hagerty. Wall Street Journal.
2009-10-01:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125434617211853815.html#project%3DCONSTRUCTION_0910_shell%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]Slump
Removes Hard Hats' Ladder to Prosperity[/url].
[IM1:810]
In recent years, men without college degrees, who found it difficult to get the factory jobs that sustained their counterparts in decades past,
Human
2009-10-01:
have turned to construction work to climb into the American middle class - now they are falling from it. Evans. Wall Street Journal.
Health
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/business/global/30employ.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=detailed%20questionnaires%20were%20sent%20to%20more%20than%2011,000&st=cse"]After
Suicides, France Wrestles With Worker Stress[/url].
[IM1:811]
Media attention to a recent spate of suicides at France T?©l?©com has revealed a paradox at the heart of French society: even with robust
US
2009-10-03:
labor protection, workers feel profoundly insecure, with many complaining that the pace of economic change is pushing them beyond their
Employment[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125451706654760355.html#project%3DJOBSHISTORY09%26articleTabs%3Dinteractive"]US
limits. Jolly and Saltmarsh. New York Times.
Unemployment: A Historical View[/url].
[IM1:822]
Track the national unemployment rate since 1948 -- the first year in which the government provides data that can reliably be compared with the
Population 2009-10-03:
current rate. Numbers are seasonally adjusted. Dougherty. Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/03/your-money/03money.html?scp=1&sq=the%20costs%20of%20being%20a%20gay%20couple%20run%20higher&st=cse"]The
Costs of Being a Gay Couple Run Higher[/url].
[IM1:823]
Much of the debate over legalizing gay marriage has focused on God and Scripture, the Constitution and equal protection. But we see the
Global
2009-10-05:
world through the prism of money. And for years, we??™ve heard from gay couples about all the extra health, legal and other costs they bear.
Economies [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/world/middleeast/05sanctions.html?scp=1&sq=us%20weighs%20more%20penalties%20on%20iran,%20but%20black%20market%20shows%20it%20can%20adapt&
So we set out to determine what they were and to come up with a round number ??” a couple??™s lifetime cost of being gay. Bernard and
Market Shows Iran Can Adapt to Sanctions[/url].
Lieber. New York Times.
[IM1:821
Many countries have billion-dollar trade relationships with Iran, which could be an obstacle to imposing - and enforcing - broad economic
Media
2009-10-06: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125478357391965773.html"]Google Decides to Find its Creative Side[/url].
sanctions. Savage and Landler. New York Times.
[IM1:820]
U.S. advertisers spent $10.9 billion on Internet ads in the first half of 2009, a 5.3% decline from the same period a year earlier, according to a
report Monday from the Interactive Advertising Bureau.Google dominates the U.S. search-ad industry, whose revenues totaled $5.1 billion in
the first half of the year. Now, it is trying to attract more display-ad business and win advertising away from the U.S. TV industry, which was
US
2009-10-06: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125479559237566623.html"]Apartment Glut Expands[/url].
$69.4 billion in 2008. Vascellaro. Wall Street Journal.
Economy [IM1:819]
Apartment vacancies hit their highest point since 1986, surging in cities from Raleigh, N.C., to Tacoma, Wash., as rising unemployment
continued to chip away at demand during the traditionally strong summer rental months.
The U.S. vacancy rate reached 7.8%, a 23-year high, according to Reis Inc., a New York real-estate research firm that tracks vacancies and
rents in the top 79 U.S. markets. The rate is expected to climb further in the fall and winter, when rental demand is weaker, pushing vacancies
Commodities
to009-10-07:
2
the highest[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704252004574456981150147524.html"]Wave
levels since Reis began its count in 1980. Timiraos. Wall Street Journal.
of Inflation HIts Tire
Prices[/url].
[IM1:830]
The epicenter of sticker shock is moving from the car dealer's showroom to the tire shop. While politicians and tire manufacturers have been
battling over a 35% tariff on lower-cost Chinese-made tires that took effect last month, consumers had already been facing a run-up in tire
US
2009-10-07: [url="http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/MK-AY779A_Jetbu_NS_20091006185616.gif"]Dreamliner Production Gets Closer
prices that began years ago and jumped steeply even before serious talk of tariffs began. The average price of tires for passenger vehicles
Economy Monitoring[/url].
rose 9% in 2008 compared with a year earlier, and 24% compared with 2005, according to Modern Tire Dealer, a trade publication. Welsch.
[IM1:829]
Wall Street Journal.
To get the troubled 787 Dreamliner back on track after more than two years of delays, officials at Boeing Co. are counting on interpreters who
can handle 28 languages, earthquake detectors and high-resolution video cameras. Michaels and Sanders. Wall Street Journal.
Human
2009-10-08: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125493500031971173.html"]Wider Health-Care Access Pays Off[/url].
Health
[IM1:824]
This article links improvements in test scores of black teenagers from the South in the 1980s to improved health care they received as children
after Southern hospitals were integrated in the 1960s. The bottom line, in a working paper circulated by the Chicago Fed, is this: "Improved
post-neonatal health among blacks born between the early 1960s and early 1970s...led to long-term improvements in the academic and
US
2009-10-08: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125494200332471373.html"]Drought of Credit Hampers Recovery[/url].
cognitive skills of these cohorts as teenagers." Wessel. Wall Street Journal.
Economy [IM1:826]
A year after the U.S. economy was brought to its knees by the bursting of the housing bubble, credit for consumers is still being aggressively
771
Human
Health
2009-10-08: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125494356104171425.html"]New Math Boosts Health Plan[/url].
[IM1:825]
Estimated changes in coverage under the Senate Finance Committee health-care proposal; millions of non-elderly people. Adamy and
Weisman. Wall Street Journal.
772
Human
Health
773
Human
Health
774
Retail
2009-10-08: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125495746062571927.html"]Baby Bundle: Japan's Cash Incentive for Parenthood[/url].
[IM1:827]
With a worried eye on declining birth rates and an aging population, Japan's new leaders propose offering new parents monthly payments
totaling about $3,300 a year for every new child until the age of 15. Other initiatives include more state-supported day care, tuition waivers and
other efforts designed to make parenthood more appealing.
But experts warn money alone does not a baby make. Governments have a mixed record in pushing up birth rates, as economic inducements
sometimes fail to overcome other complex societal forces that affect baby-making decisions.
Wakabayashi and Inada. Wall Street Journal.
2009-10-08:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/08/health/08flu.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=areas%20hit%20hard%20by%20flu%20in%20spring%20are%20seeing%20little%20now%20&st=cse"]Areas
Hit Hard By Flu in Spring Are Seeing Little Now[/url].
[IM1:828]
While concern over the spread of the H1N1 virus sweeps the country, epidemiologists in New York and a few other cities that were awash in
2009-10-09: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703746604574460740944888098.html"]Clouds Break as September Retail
swine flu last spring are detecting very little evidence of a resurgence. Hartocollis and McNeil. New York Times.
Sales Rise[/url].
[IM1:832]
Shoppers snapped up school supplies and apparel in September, resulting in the first year-over-year rise in 13 months.
Some of the biggest retail chains including Kohl's Corp., Target Corp., and Limited Brands Inc. beat tempered estimates for sales at stores
open at least a year. Same-store sales climbed 0.6 percent, according to an index of 30 retailers compiled by Thomson Reuters.
The results came in ahead of a 0.9% slide last September, when the financial markets collapsed, stock markets plunged and job cuts began to
rise. Zimmerman. Wall Street Journal.
775
US
2009-10-09: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125494927938671631.html"]Scarred Job Market Expected to Weigh on Economy[/url].
Employment[IM1:831]
The worst recession since the Great Depression has left a scorched landscape that will weigh on the labor market and the broader economy
for years to come, according to economists in the latest Wall Street Journal forecasting survey.
The 48 surveyed economists expect the economy to bounce back from four quarters of contraction with 3.1% growth in gross domestic product
at a seasonally adjusted annual rate in the just-ended third quarter. Izzo. Wall Street Journal.
776
Education 2009-10-13: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125534373296580027.html"]Nobel Looks Outside Markets[/url].
[IM1:833]
American economists Elinor Ostrom and Oliver Williamson, who study the way economic decisions are made outside markets, were awarded
the Nobel Prize in economics Monday. Lahart. Wall Street Journal.
777
Global
2009-10-13: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125539252160381493.html"]Australia's Fast Recovery Spurs Fears It Overdid Stimulus[/url].
Economies [IM1:834]
Australia avoided recession over the past year in large part because of strong trade with China and a healthy banking system.
Now it faces a new challenge: Deciding whether policy makers went too far to stimulate an economy that is proving more resilient than many
expected. Glynn and Curran. Wall Street Journal.
778
779
780
Environment2009-10-13: [url="http://projects.nytimes.com/toxic-waters/polluters/power-plants"]Coal-Fired Power Plants: Violations of the Clean Water
Act[/url].
[IM1:835]
As coal-burning power plants have reduced their air emissions, many have created another problem: water pollution. While some regulators
have used laws like the Clean Water Act to combat pollution, many plants have repeatedly violated that law without incurring fines. The New
Human
2009-10-13: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/13/health/13stat.html?scp=1&sq=vital%20statistics%20&st=cse"]Diabetes: A State-by-State
York Times has compiled data from the Environmental Protection Agency on coal-fired plants with permits to discharge pollutants, including
Health
Breakdown[/url].
factories that generate their own power.
[IM1:836]
Among Americans 30 and older, 13.7 percent of men and 11.9 percent of women have diabetes. Almost one-third of them have never received
a diagnosis of the disease.By applying statistical techniques to two databases, one with numbers gathered at the state level and the other
US
2009-10-15:
national, researchers have arrived at what they believe are highly accurate estimates of prevalence, both diagnosed and not, in each state.
Economy [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/business/15exchange.html?scp=1&sq=exchange%20shrinks%20as%20rivals%20take%20over%20trades&st=cse"]Rivals
Bakalar. New York Times.
Pose Threat to New York Stock Exchange[/url].
781
782
Education 2009-10-15:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/education/15scores.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=scant%20gains%20by%20new%20york%20students%20&st=cse"]Scant
Gains by New York Students on US Math Tests, Unlike State Scores[/url].
[IM1:837]
New York State??™s fourth and eighth graders made no notable progress on federal math exams this year, according to test scores released
US
2009-10-16: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125560944668687237.html"]US Consumer Prices Increase Slightly[/url].
on Wednesday, sharply contradicting the results of state-administered tests that showed record gains. Medina. New York Times.
Economy [IM1:842]
U.S. consumer prices rose modestly in September while European prices fell, reflecting slack in global output and giving central banks more
reason to keep interest rates low.
783
US
Economy
784
Public
Opinion
785
Human
Health
786
787
788
789
The U.S. Labor Department's consumer price index rose a seasonally adjusted 0.2% in September. Energy prices rose, but food and rent
prices fell. The so-called core index, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, also rose by 0.2% in September. Prices had increased
0.4% in August. The price index is down 1.3% from a year ago. Dougherty and Blackstone. Wall Street Journal.
2009-10-16:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125565110691488935.html#project%3DPOWERSHIFTCHRTBK091015%26articleTabs%3Dinteractive"]Marketers
Still Prefer a Paper Trail[/url].
[IM1:843]
Among retailers who rely mainly on direct sales, 62% say their biggest revenue generator is a paper catalog, according to the latest survey by
the Direct Marketing Association of its members. Only a fifth of those retailers said they draw their biggest sales from their Web sites.
That is why virtually no one expects the mail-order catalog to go away -- even though only 1.3% of those catalogs generated a sale, the survey
2009-10-17:
found. The average U.S. catalog retailer reported mailing about 21 million catalogs in 2007, sending out a new edition every 26 days. Ball. Wall
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/17/opinion/17blow.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=when%20will%20obama%20stand%20up%20for%20his%20convictions&st=cse"]Impatiently
Street Journal.
Waiting[/url].
[IM1:839]
According to a Gallup poll released on Wednesday, Americans??™ satisfaction with the way things are going in the country has hit a six-month
2009-10-19:
low, and those decreases were led, in both percentage and percentage-point decreases, by Democrats and independents, not by Republicans.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125590984649093245.html#project%3DCOMPACTCHTBK0910%26articleTabs%3Dinteractive"]Slump
Blow. New York Times.
Prods Firms to Seek New Compact With Workers[/url].
[IM1:840]
Since the downturn began, thousands of employers have cut pay, increased workers' share of health-care costs or reduced the employer
contribution to retirement plans.
Two-thirds of big companies that cut health-care benefits don't plan to restore them to pre-recession levels, they recently told consulting firm
US
2009-10-20: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125599093581195087.html"]Firms Keep Brakes on Hiring[/url].
Watson Wyatt. When the firm asked companies that have trimmed retirement benefits when they expect to restore them, fewer than half said
Employment[IM1:841]
they would do so within a year, and 8% said they didn't expect to ever. Dvorak and Thurm. Wall Street Journal.
Companies across the economy are holding off on hiring even as the profit outlook improves, amid economic uncertainty and their own
success at raising productivity in rough waters.
US
Housing
Markets
Hiring always lags behind in economic recoveries, but the outlook this time is worse, many economists say. Most forecasters now expect a
prolonged period of high unemployment, even though the government is expected to report next week that the economy grew in the third
quarter, after four quarters of contraction. That is sure to frustrate the jobless and could be a problem for the Obama administration.Aeppel and
2009-10-22: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703816204574487240805281318.html"]Is the Housing Market Poised to
Dougherty. Wall Street Journal.
Take Another Plunge?[/url].
[IM1:845]
Despite some tentative signs of recovery, the U.S. housing market remains vulnerable to further price drops??”especially in areas where large
numbers of mortgages are headed toward foreclosure over the next few years.
The Wall Street Journal's quarterly survey of housing-market data in 28 major metro areas shows sharp drops in the number of homes listed
for sale across the country. But the potential supply of homes is far larger because banks are likely to acquire significant numbers of foreclosed
Global
2009-10-22: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125614710439399359.html#project%3DCGDP09_shell%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]China
homes in some areas, notably Las Vegas, Atlanta, Detroit, Phoenix, Miami and other parts of Florida, and Sacramento, Calif., over the next few
Economies Gains Confidence in Recovery[/url].
years. Hagerty. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:844]
China's recovery is becoming broader and potentially more sustainable, a shift that could provide better support for a still-fragile global
economy. Reinforcing those signs is a change of tone from China's cautious government, which is now becoming more confident in a solid
rebound.
US
Economy
Economic data released Thursday showed China's gross domestic product growing by 8.9% from a year earlier in the third quarter, following
2009-10-23: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125623026446601619.html"]Fed Hits Banks With Sweeping Pay Limits[/url].
the 7.9% gain in the second quarter. The expansion in industrial output, the backbone of the manufacturing-heavy economy, accelerated
[IM1:849]
further to 13.9% in September from 12.3% in August. Batson. Wall Street Journal.
In a one-two punch at the pay culture of banks and Wall Street firms blamed for the financial crisis, the U.S. government announced plans to
aggressively regulate compensation at thousands of lenders and impose steep pay cuts at seven companies that received billions in federal
aid.
790
791
792
793
Global
2009-10-25:
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125628626596003463.html"]UK Economy Continues to Shrink[/url].
[IM1:848]
The U.K. economy contracted for a record sixth consecutive quarter, underscoring the country's lagging position compared with other leading
nations and dealing a blow to Prime Minister Gordon Brown's re-election prospects.
In its preliminary estimate Friday, the Office for National Statistics said output fell 0.4% in the third quarter from the second, and 5.2% from the
year-earlier period. The negative reading startled economists: Almost all had forecast that the U.K. would begin to show signs of growth.
MacDonald. Wall Street Journal.
Global
2009-10-26:
Climates [url="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091027/ap_on_sc/us_sci_global_cooling;_ylt=AtyVyJbGX02DLX5xd_JHZtVsaMYA"]Statisticians Reject
Global Cooling[/url].
In a blind test, the AP gave temperature data to four independent statisticians and asked them to look for trends, without telling them what the
numbers represented. The experts found no true temperature declines over time.
[IM1:846]
Commodities
"If009-10-26:
2
you look at[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125650986946206903.html#project%3DTiffany0909%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]Diamond
the data and sort of cherry-pick a micro-trend within a bigger trend, that technique is particularly suspect," said John Grego, a
professor of
Makeover
Sends
statistics
FifthatAvenue
the University
to Africa[/url].
of South Carolina. Borenstein. AP.
[IM1:847]
Tiffany & Co.'s iconic blue boxes have long cradled some of the world's most expensive diamonds. Now, an increasing number contain stones
cut by some of the industry's least-experienced hands. O'Connell. Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-10-27: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125659862304009151.html#project%3DSTIMULUS0910%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]The
Economy Challenge in Counting Stimulus Returns[/url].
[IM1:850]
s the government implements the $787 billion stimulus program, the effect of the spending and tax cuts are proving difficult to measure.
Part of the challenge is that assessments of the impact often rely on imagining how the economy would have fared if the stimulus money were
spent differently, or not at all. Debates continue today about the effects of the 2001 stimulus program that sent rebate checks to taxpayers.
794
795
Retail
Public
Opinion
796
US
Economy
797
Human
Health
Complicating matters further: Many spending projects might end up being short-term jolts that fizzle out, raising questions about their
effectiveness. The $3 billion cash for clunkers program, funded partially by stimulus money, pulled consumers into auto dealerships
nationwide. Auto sales soared in August, then slumped in September. Similar concerns surround the $8,000 tax credit for first-time home
2009-10-28: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703697004574498320552096670.html"]Online Retailers Turn Up Service To
buyers that ends next month. Reddy. Wall Street Journal.
Capture More Holiday Sales[/url].
[IM1:856]
The Web is shaping up to be one of retail's bright spots this holiday season, thanks in part to a new take on an old-fashioned retail idea: good
service.
At a time when traditional retailers are being ultra conservative, many Web sites have been spending to make shipping times faster,
consumer-generated reviews better, and to offer new features such as online layaways. Amazon.com Inc. is rolling out more "frustration-free"
packages that replace hard-to-open plastic clamshells; eBay Inc. is highlighting merchants with the best ratings; and Sears Holdings Corp. is
launching online layaway.
2009-10-28:
In contrast, many traditional retailers have cut way back on inventory levels and holiday staffing, hoping to avoid the massive profit-eroding
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125667589615011225.html#project%3DOBAMAAPPROVAL092209_shell%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]Gloom
discountson
Spreads
of Economy
last holiday
butseason.
GOP Doesn't
FowlerGain[/url].
and Zimmerman. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:855]
Americans are growing increasingly pessimistic about the economy after a mild upswing of attitudes in September. But Republicans haven't
been able to profit politically from the economic gloom, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.
The survey found a country in a decidedly negative mood, nearly a year after the election of President Barack Obama. For the first time during
the Obama presidency, a majority of Americans sees the country as being on the wrong track.
Fifty-eight percent
2009-10-29:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125673286433612857.html"]Mixed
of those polled say the economic slide still has a ways to go, up from
Data
52%
Show
in September
Recovery'sand
Rocky
back
Path[/url].
to the level of pessimism
expressed in July. Only 29% said the economy had "pretty much hit bottom," down from 35% last month. Weisman. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:853]
New-home sales fell but orders for durable goods rose in September, according to two government reports released Wednesday that show the
economy remains on a wobbly path upward.
Sales of new homes fell 3.6% in September as the effect of the federal government's tax credit for first-time home buyers faded, the Commerce
Department said Wednesday. A separate Commerce report showed that orders for big-ticket items such as cars and washing machines
increased 1%[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125677086258014411.html"]Business
2009-10-29:
in September and that a key measure of business spending rose, suggesting
Groups
consumer
Push Hard
demand
Against
and the
business
Senateconfidence
Bill[/url]. are
inching back. Dougherty. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:854]
Employers are blasting the Senate's plan to create a new public health-insurance program -- a sign of how businesses are becoming
increasingly uneasy about Democrats' proposals to overhaul the health system.
Lobbyists for employers thought they had staved off a public plan in the Senate after the Finance Committee opted not to include the idea in its
798
US
Economy
799
Defense
800
US
Economy
801
802
803
804
805
806
807
2009-10-29: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125677268735914549.html"]Slump Sinks Visa Program[/url].
[IM1:852]
A coveted visa program that feeds skilled workers to top-tier U.S. technology companies and universities is on track to leave thousands of
spots unfilled for the first time since 2003, a sign of how the weak economy has eroded employment even among highly trained professionals.
The program, known as H-1B, has been a mainstay of Silicon Valley and Wall Street, where many companies have come to depend on
securing visas for computer programmers from India or engineers from China. Last year, even as the recession began to bite, employers
snapped up the 65,000 visas available in just one day. This year, however, as of Sept. 25 -- nearly six months after the U.S. government began
2009-10-29:
accepting applications -- only 46,700 petitions had been filed. Jordan. Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/29/world/29military.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=american%20military%20officers%20are%20expressing%20concerns%20&st=cse"]US
Sees Makeshift Bombs Moving Beyond Iraq and Afghanistan[/url].
[IM1:851]
American military officers are expressing concern over the spreading use of makeshift bombs beyond the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan to
other countries in the region, as well as in East Asia and South America.
Improvised explosive devices, as the military calls them, have been the largest killer of American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, showing up
2009-10-30:
with devastating effect in Pakistan and India, but also with less notice in Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Colombia, Somalia and parts
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125681908931715735.html#project%3DGDPCHARTS0910%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]Economy
Snaps
of
North Slump[/url].
Long
Africa. Shanker. New York Times.
[IM1:867]
The U.S. economy expanded in the third quarter after shrinking for four consecutive quarters, marking an apparent end to the worst recession
since World War II. But the recovery is expected to be slow and painful, as companies shed jobs and credit remains tight.
This chart compares growth in the first year after selected recessions and in the third quarter of 2009, on an annualized basis. The size of the
Education 2009-11-02: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/02/education/02college.html?_r=1&emc=eta1"]23 Private College Presidents Made More
circles indicates how much each sector contributed to inflation-adjusted growth, while the pie charts show the size of each sector compared to
Than $1 Million[/url].
the broader economy.
[IM1:864]
The presidents of the nation??™s major private research universities were paid a median compensation of $627,750 in the 2007-8 fiscal year
??” a 5.5 percent increase from the previous year ??” according to The Chronicle of Higher Education annual executive compensation survey.
Crime
2009-11-05: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125737053982328969.html"]U.S. Attorney Targets White-Collar Crime[/url].
Lewin. New York Times.
[IM1:865]
White-collar prosecutions fell by half from 2002 to 2008, but the federal white-collar unit is now "up to speed," Joe Russoniello, the U.S.
attorney for the Northern District of California, said in a recent interview. The push by Mr. Russoniello, appointed by President George W. Bush
in January 2008, comes amid some high-profile white-collar cases that have rippled through the Valley, including Bernard Madoff's Ponzi
US
2009-11-06: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125737807967629459.html"]Big Bonuses Are Back for Many on Street[/url].
scheme and insider-trading allegations surrounding the Galleon Group hedge fund. Scheck. Wall Street Journal.
Economy [IM1:866]
Incentive pay on Wall Street is set to rise by about 40% as stronger financial markets collide with the political backlash over bonuses,
according to a closely watched survey set to be released Thursday.
Johnson Associates, a compensation consulting firm in New York, projects that the biggest increases in year-end cash bonuses and equity
awards will go to employees in rebounding businesses such as fixed income and equities. Those incentive-based payouts likely will surge by
as much as 60% from last year, the survey found. Lucchetti. Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-11-06: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125742744080829139.html"]Productivity Soared in Third Quarter[/url].
Employment[IM1:863]
The productivity of U.S. workers surged in the third quarter, as the economy resumed growing even as employers pushed forward with layoffs
and cuts in working hours across a wide range of industries. The Labor Department said the output per hour of nonfarm workers rose at an
annual rate of 9.5% in the quarter, more than four times the average productivity growth rate of the past quarter-century. When taken together
Philanthropy2009-11-09: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704500604574481773446591750.html"]What's Wrong with Charitable
with the second quarter's 6.9% rise, it was the strongest productivity growth rate over a six-month period since 1961. Hilsenrath and Di Leo.
Giving[/url].
Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:862]
Much of current philanthropic giving, by foundations and individuals, neither meets the needs of our charitable organizations nor addresses
some of our most urgent public needs. Foundation practices today are too bureaucratic, inflexible and cautious, and too focused on short-term
Global
2009-11-09: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125772042679937143.html"]U.S., Europe Differ in Approach to Getting Back on Growth
objectives. Too often, the process and procedures of grant making are more tailored to the needs of foundations and their trustees than to the
Economies Track[/url].
requirements of nonprofits. At the same time, our depressed economy is exacerbating this crisis??”and making it all the more crucial that we
[IM1:861]
address it. A severe reduction in available public and private funds has put many important nonprofit groups, especially at the local level, in
For Europeans, a big dent to potential growth for at least the next couple of years, or even longer, would mean output lost during the recession
grave danger. Cutbacks in their budgets and programs are depriving their clients of essential health and social services. Eisenberg. Wall Street
is probably gone for good. European officials are already musing about a "lost decade" like Japan experienced in the 1990s. In contrast,
Energy - 2009-11-12:
Journal.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703808904574529551878012922.html"]Exxon Bets Big on China with Giant
stronger productivity in the U.S. gives it a better shot at recouping at least some of its lost output, with a helping hand from the Federal
Oil
Facility[/url].
Reserve. Blackstone. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:857]
Exxon Mobil Corp. is betting big on China's seemingly endless hunger for fuel.
The company started up a $4.5 billion refining and petrochemical complex in Fujian Province on Wednesday and recently opened its first gas
station on the mainland. It plans to operate at least 750 gas stations there, even as it is selling all its company-owned stations in the U.S. Gold.
Wall Street Journal.
808
809
810
811
812
Education 2009-11-12: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125798004542744219.html"]Tinkering Makes Comeback Amid Crisis[/url].
[IM1:858]
Engineering schools across the country report students are showing an enthusiasm for hands-on work that hasn't been seen in years. The
financial crisis played a role in taking a nascent trend and giving it increased urgency, says Michael Cima, an MIT engineering professor. "I've
been here 23 years and I definitely see this trend back to hands-on," he says. "A lot of people are pretty disappointed with an image of a career
State
2009-11-12: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125798665633544377.html"]States Draw Up Plans for Year of Even Bigger Budget Cuts[/url].
in finance and they're looking for a career that's real." Lahart. Wall Street Journal.
Budgets
[IM1:860]
A report Wednesday from the nonpartisan Pew Center on the States warned of "fiscal peril" in clusters of Midwestern and Western states, the
result of widespread foreclosures, rising unemployment and poor financial management. The report cited Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin,
California, Oregon, Nevada and Arizona. Florida, New Jersey and Rhode Island also were in bad shape financially, the Pew report said. In a
US Federal 2009-11-12: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125799009185344567.html"]White House Aims to Cut Deficit With TARP Cash[/url].
handful of states, economies are turning up. Moody's Economy.com says Iowa and North Dakota are emerging from recession. They are being
Debt
[IM1:859]
bolstered by stable housing markets and relatively high prices for agricultural commodities. Merrick. Wall Street Journal.
The Obama administration, under pressure to show it is serious about tackling the budget deficit, is seizing on an unusual target to showcase
fiscal responsibility: the $700 billion financial rescue. The administration wants to keep some of the unspent funds available for emergencies,
but is considering setting aside a chunk for debt reduction, according to people familiar with the matter. It is also expected to lower the
Human
2009-11-13: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125804680667345609.html"]Downward Trend in Smoking Rate Stalls[/url].
projected long-term cost of the program -- the amount it expects to lose -- to as little as $200 billion from $341 billion estimated in August.
Health
[IM1:873]
Solomon and Weisman. Wall Street Journal.
A national survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that 20.6% of U.S. adults aged 18 and over, or about
46 million people, were smokers in 2008, up slightly from 19.8% in 2007. McKay. Wall Street Journal.
Human
Health
2009-11-14: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125816058301147915.html"]War-Zone Counselors in Short Supply[/url].
[IM1:868]
The Army has a serious shortage of mental-health workers in Afghanistan, where morale has fallen among soldiers charged with beating back
the resurgent Taliban, according to a new survey.
The Army has roughly 43 psychiatrists, psychologists and other counselors in Afghanistan, but estimates that it needs at least 60 more to
ensure that soldiers serving there have ready access to help. Dreazen. Wall Street Journal.
813
814
US
Economy
Human
Health
2009-11-16: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125832250680149395.html"]Auto Industry Has Room to Shrink Further[/url].
[IM1:872]
According to CSM Worldwide, the auto industry has enough capacity to make 85.9 million cars and light trucks a year -- about 30 million more
than it is on track to sell this year, the equivalent of more than 120 assembly plants.
It also means the industry is utilizing just 65% of its available production capacity. Global auto sales are expected to grow by 25 million vehicles
over the next six years, but even with that increase, CSM predicts that industrywide capacity utilization will barely reach 85% by 2015. Dolan.
Wall Street Journal.
2009-11-16: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125833149978449651.html"]For Men at 40, Risk of Cardiac Death 1 in 8[/url].
[IM1:871]
Researchers said men at age 40 in the U.S. have a one-in-eight chance of suffering sudden cardiac death over the rest of their lives, a stark
indication of the toll cardiovascular disease exacts on society.
For women, researchers said, the risk is 1 in 24. The prevalence has long been of concern to heart and public-health experts, but lifetime risks
for the condition haven't previously been estimated, researchers said. Winslow. Wall Street Journal.
815
816
US
Economy
2009-11-17: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704538404574539954068634242.html"]TARP Cannot Save Some
Banks[/url].
[IM1:870]
U.S. regulators have seized or threatened at least 27 banks that received capital infusions from the Troubled Asset Relief Program, including
some lenders that government officials knew were troubled when they awarded the money.
The troubles put taxpayers at risk of losing as much as $5.1 billion invested in the banks since TARP was launched in October 2008. For
Population 2009-11-17:
example, Friday's
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125839283643150795.html"]More
three bank failures, increasing the 2009 total to 123, included a unit
Households
of Pacific Coast
Request
National
Food Aid[/url].
Bancorp, a San Clemente,
Calif., bank that sold $4.1 million of preferred shares to the Treasury Department in January. Enrich. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:869]
The U.S. Agriculture Department said Monday the number of households that reported struggling to buy enough food in 2008 jumped 31%
over the previous year.
According to the USDA's annual poll, 17 million U.S. households reported some degree of food insecurity in 2008, up from 13 million
households in 2007. Kilman and Thurow. Wall Street Journal.
817
US Federal 2009-11-19: [url="http://media.economist.com/images/20091121/CFB506.gif"]America's Fiscal Deficit[/url]
Defecit
[IM1:877]
America depends inordinately on payroll and income taxes, on both people and corporations (see chart 2 and article). This penalises work and
investment, and encourages borrowing and spending. Exemptions, credits and loopholes worth $1 trillion a year riddle the system and distort
behaviour. The deduction for employer-provided health insurance encourages richer plans and more spending. The mortgage-interest
818
US
Housing
Market
2009-11-19: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125854971533953543.html"]Fear of Double Dip in Housing[/url].
[IM1:874]
The U.S. housing market is sputtering again, adding to doubts about the vigor of the economic recovery.
Just a few months after housing showed signs of leveling off, bad weather and uncertainty over the extension of a home-buyer tax credit sent
new-home starts in October tumbling 10.6% from the previous month. They fell to the lowest level since April, the Commerce Department said
Wednesday. Starts of single-family houses fell 6.8%. Hagerty and Murray. Wall Street Journal.
819
820
821
822
823
CA State
Budget
Crime
2009-11-19: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125856632697953969.html"]Budget Gap Widens in Sacramento[/url].
[IM1:875]
California is deep in red ink again, according to a new report projecting that the cash-strapped state faces a $21 billion budget shortfall through
June 2011.
The report, published Wednesday by the California legislature's nonpartisan analyst, painted a grim picture of the state's finances -- with a $6
billion gap forecast in the current fiscal year that goes until June 2010 and another $14 billion deficit falling in the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Woo.
Wall Street Journal.
2009-11-19: [url="http://www.economist.com/businessfinance/displayStory.cfm?story_id=14931615"]Corporate crime is on the rise[/url].
[IM1:878]
THE recession has taken its toll on morals as well as profits. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), a consulting and accounting firm, has conducted
a biennial survey of economic crime for the past ten years. The most recent, published on November 19th, is not only the most thorough,
based on over 3,000 responses from firms in 54 countries. In many ways it is also the most worrying.
A third of those responding reported that they had suffered at least one economic crime in the past year. The incidence was particularly high in
developing countries, notably Russia; in financial services and communications; in big companies and in state-owned enterprises. The
Commodities
2009-11-19: [url="http://www.economist.com/world/international/displayStory.cfm?story_id=14926114"]Feeding the World[/url].
Economist.
[IM1:876]
In 2008-09 food problems were masked for a while by the financial crisis. But as Jacques Diouf, head of the UN??™s Food and Agriculture
Organisation (FAO), said this week, ???when the recovery picks up, we will be back to square one.??? Jeffrey Currie of Goldman Sachs
argues that while most recession-hit industries in the rich world are operating at 60-70% of capacity, agriculture is at full capacity, in the sense
Public
2009-11-22: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125876581091558417.html"]Strains in Party Threaten Democrats' Plans[/url].
that last year??™s cereals crop was the largest on record and there is little fallow land ready to be taken under the plough. If there were
Opinion
[IM1:891]
another supply or demand shock, the farm-trade system would not cushion the blow. The Economist.
The Democratic Party's broad ruling coalition is starting to fracture as lawmakers come under increasing pressure from the left to respond to
voter anger over joblessness and Wall Street bailouts.
US
Housing
Market
Tensions boiled over this week, with an angry party caucus meeting Monday in the House, and black lawmakers Thursday threatening to block
legislation in protest of President Barack Obama's economic policies. Along the way, members of both parties grilled Treasury Secretary
Timothy Geithner over his ties to Wall Street, and some called on him to resign. Wallsten and Bendavid. Wall Street Journal.
2009-11-24: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125903489722661849.html"]One in Four Borrowers Is Underwater[/url].
[IM1:883]
The proportion of U.S. homeowners who owe more on their mortgages than the properties are worth has swelled to about 23%, threatening
prospects for a sustained housing recovery.
Nearly 10.7 million households had negative equity in their homes in the third quarter, according to First American CoreLogic, a real-estate
information company based in Santa Ana, Calif.
824
825
826
These so-called underwater mortgages pose a roadblock to a housing recovery because the properties are more likely to fall into bank
foreclosure and get dumped into an already saturated market. Economists from J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. said Monday they didn't expect U.S.
home prices to hit bottom until early 2011, citing the prospect of oversupply. Simon and Hagerty. Wall Street Journal.
Global
2009-11-24: [url="http://www.theatlantic.com/slideshows/china-nations/"]The Nine Nations of China[/url].
Economies [IM1:879]
As China??™s economy becomes more integrated, regional differences are taking on greater importance than ever before. Nine major regions
of China face a unique set of challenges and opportunities in carving out its own competitive niche. Anyone who wants to do business in China,
make policy towards China, or simply comprehend the dramatic changes happening there should understand these "Nine Nations" and the role
Inequality 2009-11-25: [url="http://projects.nytimes.com/executive_compensation?ref=business"]The Pay at the Top[/url].
each of them is playing in shaping China??™s future. Chovenac. The Atlantic.
[IM1:881]
The compensation research firm Equilar compiled data reflecting pay for 200 chief executives at 198 public companies that filed their annual
proxies by March 27 and had revenue of at least $6.3 billion. New York Times.
US
Housing
Market
2009-11-25: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/business/economy/26econ.html?ref=business"]New Home Sales Rise[/url].
[IM1:880]
Sales of new homes reached their highest level in October in more than a year, the government said Wednesday, but the pace was sluggish
and unsold homes lingered for the longest time on record.
827
Holidays
828
US
Economy
2009-11-26: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/11/26/us/20091126-search-graphic.html"]What We're Eating on Thanksgiving[/url].
[IM1:882]
As cooks turn to the web looking for Thanksgiving recipes, the terms they enter into search engines can provide clues as to what dishes are
being cooked around the nation. ???Sweet potato casserole??? was by far the most common search term nationwide. Geographic trends also
pop out of the data: apple pie was most popular in the Northeast, pecan pie was was tops around Texas, and sweet potato pie was strongest in
2009-11-28:
the Southeast. The Midwest has an odd affinity for cheese balls. New York Times.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/business/economy/28charts.html?scp=1&sq=seeing%20the%20glass%20as%20mostly%20empty&st=cse"]Seeing
the Glass as Mostly Empty[/url].
[IM1:890]
The American economy is in its worst shape in a quarter-century. At least that appears to be the belief of the consumers questioned by the
Conference Board for its consumer confidence survey, for which preliminary November results were announced this week.
Over all, the index shows that confidence is significantly better than it was early this year, when stock markets had crumbled and the credit
crisis was at its worst.
829
830
831
832
That increase comes from a rise in consumer expectations. But as can be seen in the accompanying charts, the present-conditions index fell in
Inequality 2009-11-29:
November to 20, the lowest level for that index since early 1983. The index is based on a scale in which the average opinions of 1985 are
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/us/29foodstamps.html?scp=1&sq=food%20stamp%20use%20soars%20across%20us%20and%20stigma%20fades&st=cse"]Food
equal to 100.Norris. New York Times.
Stamp Use Soars Across US and Stigma Fades[/url].
[IM1:884]
With food stamp use at record highs and climbing every month, a program once scorned as a failed welfare scheme now helps feed one in
eight Americans and one in four children.
It has grown so rapidly in places so diverse that it is becoming nearly as ordinary as the groceries it buys. More than 36 million people use
Inequality 2009-11-30: [url="http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/08/24/federal-pay-continues-rapid-ascent/"Federal Pay Continues Rapid Ascent[/url].
inconspicuous plastic cards for staples like milk, bread and cheese, swiping them at counters in blighted cities and in suburbs pocked with
[IM1:892]
foreclosure signs. Deparle and Gebeloff. New York Times.
The Bureau of Economic Analysis has released its annual data on compensation levels by industry (Tables 6.2D, 6.3D, and 6.6D here). The
data show that the pay advantage enjoyed by federal civilian workers over private-sector workers continues to expand.
Retail
The George W. Bush years were very lucrative for federal workers. In 2000, the average compensation (wages and benefits) of federal
workers was 66 percent higher than the average compensation in the U.S. private sector. The new data show that average federal
compensation is now more than double the average in the private sector. Edwards. Cato at Liberty.
2009-12-01: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703300504574567883001657224.html"]Cyber Monday Discounts Draw
Web-Shopping Crowd[/url].
[IM1:886]
In a display of strength by the e-commerce sector, online shopping sites reported a surge in sales and traffic on Monday, bucking the
mixed-bag results experienced by traditional retailers so far this holiday season.
By 6:30 p.m. Eastern time on so-called Cyber Monday, Web shoppers had spent, in total, 11% more than they did a year ago at that time,
according to Coremetrics Inc., a Web analytics company that tracks shopper behavior on the sites of more than 500 U.S. brands. Fowler. Wall
Technology 2009-12-01: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704498804574561540796890018.html"]Mixed Signals in Web Radio[/url].
Street Journal.
[IM1:887]
Radio's online audience is growing at an impressive pace at a time when the beleaguered radio industry needs all the ears it can get. But radio
companies, suffering their third straight year of revenue declines, are having trouble turning that audience into the cash they crave.
More than 42 million people each week listen to radio streamed over the Internet, more than double the rate from five years ago, according to
market-research firms Edison Research Inc. and Arbitron Inc. Many of those are either new listeners or people tuning in at times when they
never listened to regular broadcast radio. McBride. Wall Street Journal.
2009-12-01: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125963309579470685.html"]Some Borrowers Find Little Relief[/url].
[IM1:885]
Mortgage delinquencies continue to rise despite government efforts to help financially troubled borrowers. Simon. Wall Street Journal.
833
US
Housing
Market
834
Global
2009-12-01:
Economies [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/business/global/01debt.html?scp=1&sq=like%20overstretched%20american%20homeowners,%20&st=cse"]A
Burden Without Borders[/url].
[IM1:889]
From the Baltics to the Mediterranean, the bills for an unprecedented borrowing binge are starting to fall due. In Russia and the former Soviet
bloc, where high oil prices helped feed blistering growth, a mountain of debt must be refinanced as short-term i.o.u.??™s come due.
Even in rich nations like the United States and Japan, which are increasing government spending to shore up slack economies, mounting
budget deficits are raising concern about governments??™ ability to shoulder their debts, especially once interest rates start to rise again.
835
Inequality 2009-12-01:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/01/us/01race.html?scp=1&sq=in%20job%20hunt%20even%20degree%20can't%20close%20racial%20gap&st=cse"]In
Job Hunt, Even Degree Can't Close Racial Gap[/url].
[IM1:888]
That race remains a serious obstacle in the job market for African-Americans, even those with degrees from respected colleges, may seem to
some people a jarring contrast to decades of progress by blacks, culminating in President Obama??™s election.
836
US
Economy
837
Public
Opinion
838
But there is ample evidence that racial inequities remain when it comes to employment. Black joblessness has long far outstripped that of
2009-12-03: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125985738348774753.html"]Administration Targets Job Puzzle[/url].
whites. And strikingly, the disparity for the first 10 months of this year, as the recession has dragged on, has been even more pronounced for
[IM1:893]
those with college degrees, compared with those without. Education, it seems, does not level the playing field ??” in fact, it appears to have
The unemployment rate and the budget deficit or surplus during the first term of recent US presidents. Data start one year before the term
made it more uneven. Luo. New York Times.
begins. King. Wall Street Journal.
2009-12-03:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/03/us/politics/03poll.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=%22and%20there%20were%20several%20democrats%20who%20said%20the%20president%20had%20convinced%22&st=c
Afghanistan Speech by Obama Wins over Some Skeptics[/url].
[IM1:894]
Mr. Obama intended his speech on Tuesday at West Point to rally Americans behind his plan to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan and
Global
2009-12-08: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703683804574533871772672790.html"]Exploring the Frontier[/url].
to set an 18-month timetable for starting a withdrawal. And interviews on Wednesday suggested that, while opinions on the war remained
Economies [IM1:897]
wildly diverse, Mr. Obama managed to persuade a significant number of people on both sides of the political aisle, though it was impossible to
Strong returns have enticed many people into emerging-market stock funds this year. And having exposure to the economies of countries
know how many. Dao. New York Times.
including China, Brazil and India has come to seem necessary and maybe even mundane to a lot of mutual-fund investors.
But how about Nigeria? Sri Lanka? Or maybe the United Arab Emirates??”a market that normally goes unnoticed by most investors but caught
everyone's attention last month as a debt crisis in Dubai sent waves of concern around the globe. Prior. Wall Street Journal.
839
US Debt
2009-12-08: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126021724472580609.html"]Lending Squeeze Drags On[/url].
[IM1:896]
A Wall Street Journal analysis of data from the Federal Reserve and private research firms shows that these corporate- and consumer-credit
markets have shrunk in size by 7%, or $1.5 trillion, in the two years through early November.
The financial markets that support credit-card lending, auto loans and home mortgages not backed by the government are between 10% and
40% smaller than they were in the second half of 2007. Rapport and Ng. Wall Street Journal.
840
US
Housing
Market
2009-12-08:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126022588878780861.html#project%3DSLIDESHOW08%26s%3DSB10001424052748703558004574582221685703130%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]House
Flipping Makes a Comeback[/url].
[IM1:895]
During the housing boom, millions of Americans tried to make money by buying and then quickly reselling new houses and condominiums.
That kind of flipping stopped several years ago as home sales stalled amid a surge in foreclosures and curtailed lending.
841
Energy Oil
842
Human
Health
843
Environment2009-12-15: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126079318461090419.html"]Tensions Increase As Poor Nations Stage a Protest[/url].
[IM1:900]
Tempers flared Monday at the United Nations climate summit as poor nations staged a walkout to protest what they called inadequate aid
offers from rich countries, and the U.S. and China jockeyed for position. Ball, Torello, and Power. Wall Street Journal.
Now, a different breed of flipper is proliferating: one who seeks bargains at foreclosure auctions. Unlike the boom-time flippers, the latest
2009-12-10: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704825504574585923769346910.html"]Big Oil Jumps for Licenses in
generation needs cold cash, lots of local-market knowledge and strong nerves. Hagerty. Wall Street Journal.
Iraq[/url].
[IM1:905]
Foreign oil executives are flocking to Iraq as it prepares to open some of its untapped oil assets to Western oil companies, undeterred by a
string of attacks Tuesday that killed more than 120 people.
Iraq's second oil-licensing round, to be held Friday and Saturday, has elicited substantial interest from Big Oil. The most tempting prizes are
the Majnoon and West Qurna-Phase 2 fields, each of which contains more than 12 billion barrels of proven reserves. The fields have been in
2009-12-10: [url="http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/Flu-Tracker-2009.html"]Flu Outbreak Saps Public Health Resources[/url].
the majors' sights for decades. Hafidh and Chazan. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:904]
A second wave of the flu known as H1N1 is widespread across more than half the US. Track flu outbreaks week-by-week here.
Wall Street Journal.
844
Environment2009-12-15:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126082776435591089.html#project%3DCLIMATE-SECTOR_0912%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]World's Top
Polluter Takes Lead in Green Technology[/url].
[IM1:903]
China looms large over the global climate summit in Copenhagen, where Chinese officials are pressing the U.S. and other rich nations to
accept new curbs on their emissions and to continue to subsidize poor nations' efforts to adopt clean-energy technology. China is the world's
biggest source of carbon emissions. Less understood is the way China is now becoming a source of some of the solutions.
845
Environment2009-12-15:
China's vast market and economies of scale are bringing down the cost of solar and wind energy, as well as other environmentally friendly
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126082776435591089.html#project%3DCLIMATE-SECTOR_0912%26articleTabs%3Dinteractive"]Advancing
technologies such as electric car batteries. That could help address a major impediment to wide adoption of such technologies: They need
Emissions[/url]
heavy subsidies to be economical.Oster. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:902]
As the global economy has developed over the past several decades, emissions of carbon dioxide have risen, Track the rise here.
Wall Strett Journal.
Human
2009-12-15: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126083871040391327.html"]Black lung on Rise in Mines[/url].
Health
[IM1:899]
Rates of black-lung disease are growing, most notably among younger miners, reversing decades of progress and prompting more federal
scrutiny and calls to lower exposure to coal dust.
846
The increase, which federal mine safety officials attributed in part to longer work shifts and companies' uneven dust-mitigation practices, could
put a further strain on the industry-financed trust fund set up to compensate disabled miners and their families. Maher. Wall Street Journal.
847
Public
Opinion
848
US
Economy
849
Public
Opinion
850
851
852
853
2009-12-18: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/19/business/economy/19charts.html?_r=1&scp=4&sq=moody's%20history&st=cse"]These
Days, Countries in Misery Have a Lot of Company[/url].
[IM1:907]
This new misery index serves to highlight the risks the world took by not being afraid of the inflation of recent years ??” inflation not in
consumer prices but in real estate and financial assets. Instead, gains in those areas were taken as proof of excellent economic policies. Now,
2009-12-24: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703521904574614223788268550.html"]Scant Relief Expected for Ad
the world is paying for that excess, and finding the price to be high. Norris. New York Times.
Industry[/url].
[IM1:911]
For Madison Avenue, the decade came in with a dot-com bang, as an influx of business from free-wheeling Silicon Valley start-ups drove
advertising to new heights financially and creatively. It is going out on one of the industry's most sobering notes since the Great Depression,
2009-12-24: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126152663510002187.html"]The Drag of a State of Mind[/url].
and the year ahead looks less than welcoming. Vranica. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:908]
Last year, the Gallup Organization teamed up with Healthways, a disease-management company, for a planned 25-year effort to poll 1,000
Americans nearly every day about their health and happiness. Last month's paper in the Journal of Research in Personality used the
Gallup-Healthways survey.
And starting in 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's massive Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System -- an annual
survey of more than 350,000 adults -- began asking, "In general, how satisfied are you with your life?" This was the basis of the study that
Population 2009-12-26: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126161850282503693.html"]Recession Alters Migration Patters in US[/url].
appeared in Science. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:910]
The recession has had a profound effect on migration patterns in the U.S., reversing the flow of people to former housing-boom states such as
Florida and Nevada, the latest data from the Census Bureau show. Whitehouse. Wall Street Journal.
US
2009-12-26: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126178934938205455.html"]As Slump Hits Home, Cities Downsize their Ambitions[/url].
Employment[IM1:909]
Months after many economists declared the recession over, cities are only now beginning to feel the full brunt of it. Recessions often take
longer to trickle down to local government, in part because it takes time for the sales and property-tax revenues on which municipalities depend
to catch up with a depressed economy.
These cuts matter greatly to the economy at large. Local government spending accounts for 8.8% of the nation's total output, including
everything from employee salaries to snowplows. The sector employs one in nine workers -- 14.5 million in all, or about 8 million in education
Environment2010-01-01: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/12/05/world/climate-graphic-background.html?ref=multimedia#tab=0"]Copenhagen:
and 6.5 million elsewhere. More Americans work for cities, counties and school boards than in all of manufacturing. Dougherty. Wall Street
Emissions, Treaties and Impacts[/url].
Journal.
[IM1:924]
At the Copenhagen climate conference, discussions are likely to cover emissions levels, the legacy of the Kyoto Protocol and the risks of
inaction on global warming. Explore each issue in the tabs of this multimedia feature by the New York Times.
Trade
2010-01-03:
Balance
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/01/03/business/03metrics_graphic.html?scp=1&sq=the%20trade%20seesaw&st=cse"]The Trade
Seesaw[/url].
[IM1:916]
The faltering economy provided the US with at least one silver lining: a narrowing of the trade gap. The bursting of the housing bubble and the
854
US
Economy
2010-01-05: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126261702966614853.html"]World's Factories Rebound[/url].
[IM1:914]
The global economic recovery is gaining traction, as manufacturing cranks up around the world.
A jump in new orders spurred U.S. factories to step up production, with manufacturing expanding in December at its fastest pace in more than
three years, according to a survey of U.S. purchasing managers released Monday. Similar reports in Asia and Europe also showed the pace of
expansion quickened last month. Lahart. Wall Street Journal.
855
856
857
858
859
Human
Health
2010-01-05: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126266621987116107.html"]Health Outlays Slow[/url].
[IM1:915]
U.S. health-care spending grew 4.4% in 2008, the smallest increase in nearly 50 years, as the recession caused consumers and employers to
pare medical expenses.
A report by the federal government's Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services found health-care spending rose to $2.3 trillion in 2008, or
an average of $7,681 per person. While the growth rate in 2008 was down from 6% in 2007, health spending still grew faster than the overall
economy. Health expenditures accounted for 16.2% of gross domestic product in 2008, up from 15.9% in 2007. Adamy and Johnson. Wall
Global
2010-01-05:
Street Journal.
Economies [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/05/business/global/05tower.html?scp=1&sq=dubai%20tower%20is%20world's%20tallest%20building&st=cse"]Dubai
Tower Is World's Tallest Building[/url].
[IM1:918]
The Burj Khalifa is currently the world's tallest building. Here, how it compares with other buildings worldwide. Thomas. New York Times.
US
2010-01-05: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/05/your-money/credit-and-debit-cards/05visa.html?hp"]Toward a Cashless Society[/url].
Economy [IM1:917]
Debit cards are expected to supplant cash as the primary payment method by 2012, and Visa is positioned to be the prime beneficiary. Martin.
New York Times.
US
Economy
2010-01-07: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126282003786518681.html"]Wave of Bankruptcies Hits States Hammered by Housing
Bust[/url].
[IM1:912]
Personal bankruptcies soared last year in Western states hit hardest by the real-estate bust.
In states such as California, Arizona and Nevada, where housing prices soared and then collapsed during the past decade, consumer
bankruptcy filings rose roughly twice as much as the national average increase of 32%. Homeowners fell behind on mortgages and could no
longer tap into their home equity to pay down other debts. Murray. Wall Street Journal.
Global
2010-01-07: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126282687863718925.html"]China Aims to Transform a Nation of Savers Into Spenders[/url].
Economies [IM1:913]
China's forceful use of government stimulus programs helped it emerge from the financial crisis as the world's fastest-growing major economy.
Yet with the worst of the crisis past, the government is putting more resources into subsidies to support consumer spending.
That short-term focus on boosting purchases of automobiles and home appliances, critics say, does little to address the longer-term challenge:
weaning China's economy off exports and finding new sources of growth in domestic consumption. Batson. Wall Street Journal.
860
861
862
863
US
2010-01-07: [url="http://www.brookings.edu/metro/MetroMonitor/employment/employment_peak_3Q09.aspx"]Employment Change in the
EmploymentLargest 100 Metros[/url].
[IM1:921]
The Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institute tracks and compares employment change in America's 100 largest metro areas
through the third quarter of 2009.
US
2010-01-07: [url="http://www.brookings.edu/metro/MetroMonitor/overall_performance/overall.aspx"]Overall Performance of the Largest 100
Economy Metros[/url].
[IM1:920]
The Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institute tracks and compares economic performance in America's 100 largest metro areas
through the third quarter of 2009.
US
2010-01-07: [url="http://www.brookings.edu/metro/MetroMonitor/unemployment_rate/unemployment_SEPT09.aspx"]Unemployment Rates in
Employmentthe Largest 100 Metros[/url].
[IM1:923]
The Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institute tracks and compares the unemployment rate in America's 100 largest metro areas
through the third quarter of 2009.
Global
2010-01-07: [url="http://www.economist.com/businessfinance/displayStory.cfm?story_id=15235078&source=features_box_main"]China's
Economies Export Prospects[/url].
[IM1:919]
On December 27th Zhong Shan, the country??™s vice-minister of trade, declared that China will continue to increase its share of world
exports. Figures due out on January 11th are expected to show that China??™s exports in December were higher than a year ago, after 13
months of year-on-year declines. China??™s exports fell by around 17% in 2009 as a whole, but other countries??™ slumped by even more.
864
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
Energy - 2010-01-08: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126290539750320495.html"]Clean Energy: Sun, Wind and Subsidies[/url].
Alternative [IM1:928]
Government subsidies are turning renewable energy into big business. Although fossil fuels remain by far the dominant energy source and
generate big profits, in some markets government price supports are making renewable power a less-risky corporate bet than conventional
fuels.
US
Housing
Market
Common government practice today, especially in Europe, is to guarantee renewable-energy providers that they can sell their power for more
than the normal electricity rate -- often several times more. To trim costs, some governments are experimenting with parsing out subsidies,
2010-01-08: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126291211587420679.html"]Rents Signal Rise of D.C., Fall of N.Y.[/url].
auction-style, to whichever renewable-energy firms are willing to accept the least aid. Ball. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:927]
The office market in Washington, D.C., is poised to topple New York as the nation's most expensive, reflecting the declining fortunes of the
nation's financial center and the government expansion under way in the U.S. capital.
Rents declined in almost all of the 79 American cities tracked by Reis Inc., a New York based-research firm, in the fourth quarter of 2009. The
largest fall was in New York, where average effective rents -- or the net amount tenants pay after landlord concessions -- fell nearly 20% to
$44.69 per square foot annually. It was the sharpest decline in rents ever recorded by Reis since it began compiling data in 1981. Lewis. Wall
Environment2010-01-08: [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/08/MNK21BF3FI.DTL"]EPA To Replace Smog Limit with Stricter
Street Journal.
Standard[/url].
[IM1:931]
Numerous California counties, including several in the Bay Area, will have to get tougher on polluters to meet strict new limits on smog
proposed Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The tighter regulations, which would replace Bush-era rules, are expected to leave hundreds of counties nationwide out of compliance with
federal standards and cost up to $90 billion a year to implement by 2020. Fimrite. SF Chronicle.
US
2010-01-09: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126295679510421517.html"]Economy Still Bleeding Jobs[/url].
Employment[IM1:925]
With December's losses, there were 7.2 million fewer jobs than in December 2007, when the recession began. Although the unemployment
rate was unchanged at 10% from November, that's only because many workers stopped looking for work and weren't counted in the numbers.
A broader measure of unemployment, including those who have quit job hunting as well as those working part time because they can't find
Public
2010-01-09: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/09/opinion/09blow.html?scp=1&sq=gop%20grief%20and%20grieving&st=cse"]G.O.P. Grief
full-time work, remained about the same at 17.3% in December from 17.2% in November. Lahart. Wall Street Journal.
Opinion
and Grieving[/url].
[IM1:934]
According to a Gallup report issued this week, Republicans were more than twice as likely as Democrats and a third more likely as
independents to have a pessimistic outlook for the country over the next 20 years. That might be the fourth stage of grief: depression. Blow.
US
2010-01-09: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/01/08/business/economy/0108-jobs-graphic.html"]The Labor Picture in
New York Times.
EmploymentDecember[/url].
[IM1:933]
The jobs report in December was worse than expected. The economy shed 85,000 jobs. One bright spot was the temporary services continued
to hire, suggesting that full-time employers will eventually follow suit. Goodman. New York Times.
Population 2010-01-10: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/01/10/nyregion/20100110-netflix-map.html?hp"]A Peek Into Netflix Queues[/url].
[IM1:932]
Examine Netflix rental patterns, neighborhood by neighborhood, in a dozen cities. Some titles with distinct patterns are Mad Men, Obsessed
and Last Chance Harvey. New York Times.
US
Economy
US
Economy
2010-01-11: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126317064618124057.html"]Banks Brace for Bonus Fury[/url].
[IM1:926]
Critics of Wall Street firms are grumbling that this year's bonuses are far too generous. But some recipients are none too happy, either: They're
complaining too much of the payout is coming in stock instead of cash.
Banks and securities firms have told workers their bonuses will contain a bigger percentage of stock to demonstrate that Wall Street is
sensitive to public anger over the big paychecks. The idea is that stock reduces employees' temptation to take too many financial risks, since
they have an ownership stake. Craig, Enrich, and Sidel. Wall Street Journal.
2010-01-13: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126334191947626965.html"]Poachers Arrive at Egg Farms[/url].
[IM1:930]
A year after Californians approved stricter rules on the treatment of farm animals, Idaho and other states are trying to lure away the Golden
State's poultry and egg farmers with promises of friendlier regulations and lower costs.
In Idaho, as lawmakers convened Monday, Republican state Sen. Tim Corder said he would introduce legislation designed to attract California
chicken farmers who might consider relocating. In Nevada, Pershing County is aggressively recruiting poultry farmers in California, the nation's
fifth-largest producer of eggs. Georgia's poultry industry also has reached out to some California farmers in a bid to woo them eastward,
Technology 2010-01-14: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703672104574654741484604838.html"]AP, Yahoo Near Deal of Content
California egg-industry officials say. Etter. Wall Street Journal.
Use[/url].
[IM1:929]
874
875
Technology 2010-01-14: [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/14/technology/companies/14baidu.html?scp=1&sq=google%20baidu&st=cse"]Google's
Small Chinese Presence[/url].
[IM1:935]
Since Google has been in China, it has not become the dominant player it is in many other markets. Nevertheless, if Google left China, it would
create a gap that could be filled by others like Baidu, China's dominant Internet search engine, whose stock price rose more than 13 percent
Public
2010-01-19: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703626604575010902564177746.html"]U.S. Shifted Party, Not
Wednesday. Bradsher and Barboza. New York Times.
Opinion
Ideology[/url].
[IM1:936]
The Democratic party's problems, crystallized in the last-ditch scramble to save Ted Kennedy's Massachusetts Senate seat in a special
election Tuesday, can be traced to a simple mistake: Many in the party misread voters' desire to switch parties in recent years as an ideological
shift to the left.
876
Media
877
Public
Opinion
878
In the new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, 49% said they disapprove of the job Mr. Obama is doing handling the economy, while just 43%
approve. Last February, 56% approved of Mr. Obama's handling of the economy. The downward trend tracks his broader approval ratings.
Yet the approval rating is moving in the opposite direction of economic growth. When Mr. Obama took the oath of office a year ago, the
economy was contracting at a 6.4% annual rate, its worst decline in more than a quarter century. But by the fourth quarter, the economy
recorded a growth rate of well over 4%, according to many estimates. Hilsenrath. Wall Street Journal.
Education 2010-01-20: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703837004575012860304884840.html"]States Race to Apply for U.S.
Education Funds[/url].
[IM1:938]
Forty states are seeking federal school funding through a competitive Obama administration program that has prompted educational changes
as well as resistance in much of the country.
879
Public
Opinion
880
Public
Opinion
881
882
In fact, there is little sign that Americans' ideological tendencies changed much at all, even as voters gave control of Congress to Democrats in
2010-01-19: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704541004575011482898148788.html"]O'Brien's Exit to Cost NBC $40
2006 and handed President Barack Obama and the rest of his party a massive victory in 2008. Ideologically, the country remained throughout
Million[/url].
this period what it was at the outset: a center to center-right nation. Seib. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:937]
The late-night turmoil between Jay Leno and Conan O'Brian caps a tumultuous decade for NBC and majority owner General Electric Co. The
Peacock Network has tumbled in the ratings, on GE's financial statements and in the public eye. Schechner, Ovide and Schuker. Wall Street
2010-01-20: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703657604575005450891252446.html"]Lack of Credit[/url].
Journal.
[IM1:942]
President Barack Obama has presided over a turnaround in U.S. economic growth, but he doesn't get much credit for it.
States have spent months, and in some cases millions of dollars in consulting fees, preparing applications for the first round of the $4.35 billion
Race to the Top program, due Tuesday. King, Martinez and Gershman. Wall Street Journal.
2010-01-20: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704541004575010682417667268.html"]Obama's Ratings on Foreign Policy
Have Slipped, but Not As Much As Other Areas[/url].
[IM1:941]
Leery from the start about President Barack Obama's military and foreign-policy experience, Americans still retain some of that skepticism
about their president as the nation's commander in chief one year into his term.
Yet after a year of bruising economic problems and domestic-policy debates, foreign policy actually has emerged as an area of comparative
strength for Mr. Obama. By a 50%-to-37% margin, those surveyed in the new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll give him a positive rating for
2010-01-20: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704541004575011263428665070.html"]Americans Worry Congress Will
his handling of foreign policy, higher than his overall job rating and his rating for handling the economy. Weisman. Wall Street Journal.
Make a Bad Health-Care System Worse[/url].
[IM1:940]
A year of intense debate over how to overhaul health care has left the country scared and confused, with many Americans frustrated by the
current system??”yet fearful Washington will replace it with something worse.
Public
Opinion
The portion of Americans saying the health plan nearing completion in Congress is a bad idea has climbed steadily through months of debate
and negotiation. In April, 26% said the plan was a bad idea. By this month, it was 46%, as many of the undecided made up their minds,
2010-01-20: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704561004575013411330904680.html"]Key Bloc Abandons Democrats[/url].
according to the new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll. Just 33% now say it's a good idea, no different than nine months ago. Meckler. Wall
[IM1:939]
Street Journal.
Independent voters??”typically centrist, white and working-class??”backed President Barack Obama and the Democrats in 2008. But
Massachusetts is now the third Obama-won state in the past three months where independents have swung decisively Republican.
Media
"The independents are the fulcrum of the American electorate," said Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who conducted the Journal survey with
Republican pollster Bill McInturff. "Simply put, for the Democrats and Barack Obama, the arrows have been pointing down." Wallsten. Wall
Street Journal.
2010-01-20:
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/education/20wired.html?scp=1&sq=if%20your%20children%20are%20up,%20they're%20probably%20online&st=cse"]If
Your Children Are Awake, They're Probably Online[/url].
883
884
885
886
887
888
889
890
891
Global
2010-01-22: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704320104575015900325556896.html"]China Targets Inflation As Economy
Economies Runs Hot[/url].
[IM1:947]
China took further steps to discourage bank lending Thursday, signaling the government's growing concerns about inflation on a day Beijing
announced economic growth numbers for 2009 that outstripped its expectations.
China's gross domestic product expanded 10.7% in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, picking up from 9.1% in the third quarter and bringing
full-year growth to 8.7%. That came in above the government's targeted 8% growth and well above many economists' estimates. Poon and
US
2010-01-31:
Baston. Wall Street Journal.
Economy [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703389004575032893301414842.html#project%3DGDPINVENTORY100128%26articleTabs%3Dinteractive"]Growth
its 6-Year High[/url].
[IM1:946]
The U.S. economy grew at its fastest pace in six years in the last three months of 2009, expanding at a 5.7% yearly rate over the previous
US Federal 2010-02-01: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704343104575033212051806270.html"]Knives are Drawn for Proposed
quarter, as businesses drew less from their stockrooms and stepped up purchases of equipment and software. Exports surged and consumers
ebt
Cuts[/url].
spent more. Lahart. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:945]
President Barack Obama's plan to reduce the deficit faces a tough battle on Capitol Hill, and prospects for a rapid return to fiscal austerity
remain slim.
Mr. Obama, responding to growing public concern over deficit spending, will propose as part of his fiscal 2011 budget to freeze basic
government spending, outside of national security programs. He also plans to appoint a commission to recommend ways to reduce the deficit.
Philanthropy2010-02-01: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704586504574654404227641232.html"]Mergers, Closings Plague
Hitt and King, Wall Street Journal.
Charities[/url].
[IM1:944]
The Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, Minnesota's 100-year-old health and human services organization, in October announced plans to cut 263
jobs and eliminate programs that serve the elderly and troubled children. The Greater Boston Guild for the Blind, an adult health-care center for
the blind, closed in April.
Many groups have no choice but to cut back. After private donations to charities more than doubled between 1987 and 2007, private giving fell
Environment2010-02-04: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703657604575005083160626318.html"]Investment Dollars Flow To Green
by 6% in 2008, the largest drop since Giving USA began tracking the data more than 50 years ago.
Energy Start-Ups[/url].
[IM1:948]
Start-ups developing products aimed at wringing every last drop of efficiency from green technologies have become the standouts in the
increasingly crowded field of renewable energy.
These companies are gaining favor, in part because they don't require a lot of cash to bootstrap, a big draw at a time when there's not much
financing available. Gold. Wall Street Journal.
Global
2010-02-10:
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704182004575055292744721172.html?KEYWORDS=the+deliberations+underscore+the+growing+concern+in+europe+that+the+market"]Europe
Weighs Rescue Plan for Greece[/url].
[IM1:950]
Germany is considering a plan with its European Union partners to offer Greece and other troubled euro-zone members loan guarantees in an
effort to calm fears of a government default and prevent a widening of the credit woes, people familiar with the matter said.
The plan would be undertaken within the EU framework but led by Germany, one of the people said. German Finance Minister Wolfgang
2010-02-10:
Sch?¤uble has discussed the idea in recent days with European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet, according to the person.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704182004575055562367539590.html?KEYWORDS=weight-loss+surgery+gets+a+lift"]Weight-Loss
Crawford, Karnitschnig, and Forelle. Wall Street Journal.
Surgery Gets a Lift[/url].
[IM1:949]
Obese teens who underwent weight-loss surgery shed significantly more pounds than those who tried just dieting and exercise in a new study,
Global
2010-02-12:
a finding that may boost interest in bariatric surgery for adolescents. Mathews. Wall Street Journal.
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704140104575058121514846134.html?KEYWORDS=loans+property+surge+in+china"]Loans,
Property Surge in China[/url].
[IM1:954]
China reported a surge in bank lending and sharply rising property prices last month, figures that reinforced growing worries that the world's
fastest-growing major economy risks inflating a new bubble.
Human
Health
Easy credit has been a key driver of China's economic recovery, and banks kept up their enthusiastic lending in January, extending 1.39 trillion
US Federal 2010-02-18:
yuan ($203.6 billion) of new loans in the month. That's more than in the last three months of 2009 combined, and nearly a fifth of the
DIt's the
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703444804575071323360304024.html?KEYWORDS=it's+the+spending+america"]It's
government's target of 7.5 trillion yuan in new loans for all of 2010. The central bank also reported Thursday that the M1 measure of money
Seficit
the Spending, America[/url].
supply surged 39% in January, its fastest increase in at least a decade. Economists say that shows households moving money out of long-term
[IM1:953]
deposits in preparation for spending it, a signal of future inflation. Batson and McMahon. Wall Street Journal.
This has been an unforgettable year in the history of American spending.
892
Enegy
893
US
Economy
894
895
896
2010-02-18:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703444804575071402124482176.html?KEYWORDS=small+reactors+generate+big+hopes"]Small
Reactors Generate Big Hopes[/url].
[IM1:951]
A new type of nuclear reactor??”smaller than a rail car and one tenth the cost of a big plant??”is emerging as a contender to reshape the
nation's resurgent nuclear power industry.
Three big utilities, Tennessee Valley Authority, First Energy Corp. and Oglethorpe Power Corp., on Wednesday signed an agreement with
2010-02-18:
McDermott International Inc.'s Babcock & Wilcox subsidiary, committing to get the new reactor approved for commercial use in the U.S. Smith.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703444804575071542235270442.html?KEYWORDS=fed's+minutes+show+a+rise+in+confidence"]Fed's
Wall Street Journal.
Minutes Show a Rise in Confidence in Economy[/url].
[IM1:952]
Federal Reserve officials, their eyes on a recovery that is gradually becoming more entrenched, are intensifying planning for a reversal of
emergency policies put in place during the financial crisis.
Minutes of their January policy meeting, released Wednesday after the usual lag, showed officials agreed that the most likely next move will be
Technology 2010-02-20:
an increase in an interest rate the Fed charges on emergency loans to banks, the discount rate, now at 0.5%. Hilsenrath. Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704140104575057490343183782.html?KEYWORDS=people's+republic+of+hacking]People's
Republic of Hacking[/url].
[IM1:959]
Some of today's biggest cybersecurity worries trace their roots to this central Chinese city, where a hacker with a junior high school education
slapped cartoon pandas onto millions of computers to hide a destructive spy program.
US
Economy
The Panda Burns Incense computer worm, created by 27-year-old Li Jun, wreaked havoc for months in China in 2006 and 2007, eventually
2010-02-22:
landing Mr. Li in jail. Jumping one computer to another by tricking users into opening what appeared to be a friendly email message, the Panda
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703791504575079391267764362.html?KEYWORDS=nevada+in+budget+squeeze"]Nevada
funneled passwords, financial information and online cash balances from game Web sites to Mr. Li's cohorts??”leaving a panda as its calling
in Budget Squeeze[/url].
card. Areddy. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:958]
Nevada's $887 million deficit is puny compared with California's $20 billion hole.
But in a state that operates one of the leanest budgets in the nation, that amounts to a 22% shortfall, a gap that has some worried that the
state might fall further behind in such areas as education and health care, where it already lags behind other states. Others sense an opening
Global
2010-02-23"
to chart a new course in small government. Berzon. Wall Street Journal.
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704454304575081323044828184.html?KEYWORDS=buyout+titans+will+team+up+in+china"]Buyout
Titans Will Team Up in China[/url].
[IM1:957]
Private-equity firms Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and TPG's TPG Capital are close to signing a deal to pay a total of more than $1 billion for
Morgan Stanley's stake in one of China's top investment banks, China International Capital Corp., according to people familiar with the
situation.
Bloomberg News
PERSONAL INTEREST: Henry Kravis of KKR, above,and David Bonderman of TPG are both likely to join an expanded CICC board.
897
898
899
The purchase would pair two giants of the private-equity world together with a player in China's fast-growing capital markets. It would also free
up Morgan Stanley to pursue its longtime ambition of entering into a new Chinese securities venture over which it can exercise greater
Technology 2010-02-25:
influence. Carew. Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703510204575085531383717288.html?KEYWORDS=cause+of+sudden+acceleration+proves+hard+to+pinpoint"]Cause
of Sudden Acceleration Proves Hard to Pinpoint[/url].
[IM1:956]
Toyota is getting a lot of attention for sudden unintended acceleration, but Ford Motor Co. has been the subject of more complaints with federal
Immigration2010-02-25:
regulators in the recent past. From 2004 to 2009, based on NHTSA data, Ford had 2,806 complaints, compared with Toyota's 2,515. General
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703510204575085922830174374.html?KEYWORDS=illegal+workers+slip+by+system"]Illegal
Motors Co. had 1,192. A study by Edmunds.com, an independent market-research Web site, found that based on the number of vehicles on
Workers Slip by System[/url].
the road, Toyota ranked 17th in recalls, with Land Rover, recently acquired by India's Tata Motors Ltd., having the most.. Linebaugh and
[IM1:955]
Searcey. Wall Street Journal.
The Department of Homeland Security's controversial and much-touted E-Verify program might be failing to detect one out of two illegal
workers whose employment authorizations are screened, outside consultants have told the agency.
Defense
Spending
Tens of thousands of companies participate in E-Verify, either voluntarily or as a condition of doing business with the government. Radinofsky
2010-03-04:
and Jordan. Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703862704575100531561261808.html?mod=WSJ_hps_sections_world"]China Raises
Defense Spending 7.5%[/url].
900
Global
2010-03-04:
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704548604575097800234925746.html?KEYWORDS=europe%27s+original+sin"]Europe's
Original Sin[/url].
[IM1:960]
Europeans are blaming financial transactions arranged by Wall Street for bringing Greece to the brink of needing a bailout. But a close look at
the country's finances over the nearly 10 years since it adopted the euro shows not only that Greece was the principal author of its debt
problems, but also that fellow European governments repeatedly turned a blind eye to its flouting of rules.
901
Technology 2010-03-04: [url="http://www.economist.com/specialreports/displayStory.cfm?story_id=15351002"]Social Networking[/url].
Though the European Commission and the U.S. Federal Reserve are examining a controversial 2001 swap arranged with Goldman Sachs
[IM1:963]
Group Inc., Greece's own budget moves, in clear breach of European Union rules, dwarfed the effect of such deals. Forelle and Fidler. Wall
Although Facebook is the world??™s biggest social network, there are a number of other globetrotting sites, such as MySpace, which
Street Journal.
concentrates on music and entertainment; LinkedIn, which targets career-minded professionals; and Twitter, a networking service that lets
members send out short, 140-character messages called ???tweets???. All of these appear in a ranking of the world??™s most popular
US
2010-03-04: [url="http://www.economist.com/specialreports/displayStory.cfm?story_id=15474137"]Borrwowed Time[/url].
networks by total monthly web visits. The Economist.
Economy [IM1:964]
In the absence of strict limits, higher leverage followed naturally from low interest rates. The debt of America??™s financial firms ballooned
relative to the overall economy. At the peak of the madness, the median large bank had borrowings of 37 times its equity, meaning it could be
wiped out by a loss of just 2-3% of its assets. Borrowed money allowed investors to fake ???alpha???, or above-market returns, says Benn
Technology 2010-03-04: [url="http://www.economist.com/specialreports/displayStory.cfm?story_id=15557443"]Data, Data Everywhere[/url].
Steil of the Council on Foreign Relations. The Economist.
[IM1:962]
The world contains an unimaginably vast amount of digital information which is getting ever vaster ever more rapidly. This makes it possible to
do many things that previously could not be done: spot business trends, prevent diseases, combat crime and so on. Managed well, the data
can be used to unlock new sources of economic value, provide fresh insights into science and hold governments to account.
902
903
904
905
906
But they are also creating a host of new problems. Despite the abundance of tools to capture, process and share all this
information??”sensors, computers, mobile phones and the like??”it already exceeds the available storage space. The Economist.
Global
2010-03-11:
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703502804575101912171794390.html?KEYWORDS=greece+debt+hurdle"]Payment
Due[/url].
[IM1:966]
Greece survived a key test by raising ?‚¬5 billion ($6.85 billion) in a bond sale, but investors warned that a looming wave of debt auctions by
other European countries could make it difficult for Athens to raise the rest of the money it needs.
US
Economy
The offer by Greece to pay 6.3% on its 10-year notes drew investors, filling order books by late morning Thursday. By lunchtime in London,the
2010-03-11:
offering had ?‚¬14.5 billion in bids, a sign Greece could have sold nearly three times what it advertised. Mollenkamp and Bryan-Low. Wall
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703791704575114030539514968.html?KEYWORDS=credit+market+springs+to+life"]Bond
Street Journal.
Rebound[/url].
[IM1:968]
Companies are aggressively borrowing in the debt markets once again??”a sign of renewed confidence in the world economy following recent
fears that struggling European countries could have difficulty financing their budget deficits.
In the U.S., bond sales by companies such as Bank of America Corp. and GMAC Financial Services are on pace to conclude their busiest
Education 2010-03-11:
week since the beginning of the year. In Europe, borrowing by companies so far in March is already more than 60% of February's totals.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704187204575101553383922336.html?KEYWORDS=education+finalists+picked"]Education
Aneiro. Wall Street Journal.
Finalists Picked[/url].
[IM1:965]
The Obama administration picked 15 states and the District of Columbia as finalists in a heated competition for extra federal education funds to
shake up underperforming schools.
907
US
Economy
908
Travel
The states that made the cut in the $4.35 billion Race to the Top competition were Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky,
2010-03-11:
Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee. King and Martinez.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704754604575095321531680234.html?KEYWORDS=battle+inside+fed+rages+over+bank+regulation"]Battle
Wall Street Journal.
Inside Fed Rages Over Bank Regulation[/url]
[IM1:967]
The worst of the banking crisis may be long over, but the political contest over the Federal Reserve is entering a crucial phase in which its
personality and role will almost certainly be redefined.
The Fed has tried to fend off very public efforts in Congress to strip it of responsibility for regulating America's banks, but a less-visible battle
2010-03-18: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704688604575125510326010610.html?mod=WSJ_hp_mostpop_read"]Why
has been playing out inside the central bank. The Fed has undertaken a wrenching reorganization of its army of 3,000 bank supervisors, which
70 Miles Per Hour Is the New 55"[/url].
has centralized more power in Washington and sometimes pitted officials at the 12 regional Fed banks against those in the capital. Hilsenrath.
[IM1:970]
Wall Street Journal.
Virginia will become the 34th state to boost interstate speed limits to 70 mph or higher. In big, empty states such as New Mexico, Idaho and
Nevada, posted limits on rural interstates can be as high as 75 mph.
909
910
911
912
913
914
915
916
917
918
919
Technology 2010-03-18:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704743404575127573405166114.html?KEYWORDS=sprint+wagers+on+4g+phone"]Sprint
Wagers on 4G Phone[/url].
[IM1:969]
Sprint Nextel Corp. will soon roll out the first U.S. phone that works on a faster wireless network, an important step in the struggling carrier's
US
2010-04-01:
effort to stem subscriber defections. The network is being built by Clearwire Corp., in which Sprint holds a 56% stake. The carrier is betting the
Economy [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304370304575151810534832360.html?KEYWORDS=entrepreneurs+remain+wary"]Entrepreneurs
service will attract heavy users of the mobile Internet and breathe new life into its operations. Cheng. Wall Street Journal.
Remain Wary[/url].
[IM1:974]
Companies that depend on consumer spending, such as grocery, clothing and electronic and appliance stores, posted sales drops of less than
US
2010-04-01:
2% last year, while sporting goods, gift, and liquor stores stayed even with or slightly better than 2008. These industries have shown signs life
Housing
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304739104575153543750086642.html?KEYWORDS=home-price+index+edges+up"]Home-Price
in the early months of this year, too, according to Yellowbook, which tracks contact information-lookup searches by company type. From
Market
Index Edges Up[/url].
November 2009 to January 2010, beauty salons, gift shops and sporting goods stores saw some of the biggest surges in search count. Maltry.
[IM1:975]
Wall Street Journal.
A gauge of U.S. home prices improved in January, with many of the nation's most battered markets among the gainers.
The seasonally adjusted S&P/Case-Shiller index of home prices in 20 major metropolitan areas increased 0.3% in January from a month
earlier, the eighth consecutive monthly increase. Twelve of the 20 cities saw price gains over the month. Dougherty. Wall Street Journal.
Global
2010-04-01:
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703312504575141790705775672.html?KEYWORDS=some+say+trade+numbers+don%27t+deliver"]Some
Say Trade Numbers Don't Deliver the Goods[/url].
[IM1:971]
According to some economists, trade in finished products??”the things consumers actually buy, such as cars, computers and iPods??”declined
Population 2010-04-01:
by much less than 12.2% last year. That is because as much as two-thirds of the value of goods that go into trade statistics represent
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703409804575144041421559662.html?KEYWORDS=cw+to+double+ad"]Don't Touch
intermediate parts, which are imported from other countries and used to make finished products that then get re-exported. Economists call this
That Mouse[/url].
the "valued-added effect." If the value of imported parts were stripped out, however, global trade would have declined by between 4% and
[IM1:973]
around 8% last year, economists say. Miller. Wall Street Journal.
Percentage of people who watch scripted television series on TV or online, by age group. Schechner. Wall Street Journal.
US
2010-04-01:
Housing
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704100604575145543626196382.html?KEYWORDS=mortgage+plan+remodeled+again"]Mortgage
Market
Plan Remodeled Again[/url].
[IM1:972]
The Obama administration said Friday it would step up help for borrowers who owe more than their homes are worth.
But officials also tried to tamp down expectations for their latest revamp of the government's year-old foreclosure-prevention drive. Some of the
Global
adjustments face logistical hurdles and it could be months before the initiatives are in place. Hagerty and Timiraos. Wall Street Journal.
2010-04-08:
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303591204575169693166352882.html?KEYWORDS=but+does+it+deserve+the+heavy+mantle+of"]Did
'Great Recession' Live Up to Its Name?[/url].
[IM1:977]
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke calls it "the worst financial crisis in modern history." His predecessor, Alan Greenspan, says it was
"the most virulent global financial crisis ever." The resulting recession was longer and deeper than any the U.S. has suffered since World War
II.
Global
2010-04-08:
But does it deserve the heavy mantle of "The Great Recession" that it seems to be acquiring? "Great" is a big word, a mark of enormous
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303591204575169704072987766.html?KEYWORDS=brands+bet+on+indonesia+as+spending+booms"]Brands
historical significance. World War I was the Great War until the second world war came along. Wessel. Wall Street Journal.
Bet on Indonesian Consumers[/url].
[IM1:978]
International companies are betting Indonesia will become Asia's next big consumer market after China and India. With 240 million people, the
Global
2010-04-08:
world's fourth-largest population behind China, India and the U.S., Indonesia has long promised to be one of the world's biggest consumer
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303960604575157701739806306.html?KEYWORDS=factories+revive+economy"]Factories
markets. But it has lagged behind other developing nations because of political instability and disappointing growth after the Asian financial
Revive Economy[/url].
crisis of 1997-98. Barta. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:976]
Factories around the world are ratcheting up production, fueling optimism that the global economic recovery has legs.
The U.S. manufacturing index in March registered its best reading since 2004, and China's manufacturing sector grew for the 13th straight
month. Most euro-zone nations also have seen strong factory expansion, with Germany last month posting its best manufacturing growth in a
Defense
2010-04-08:
decade. Only Greece, which is struggling with debt problems, contracted. Reddy Walker and Batson. Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/08/world/europe/08arms.html?scp=1&sq=with%20arms%20treaty,%20a%20challenge%20remains&st=cse"]With
Arms Treaty, a Challenge Remains[/url].
[IM1:979]
Under the so-called New Start treaty, the two powers will pare their arsenals but still deploy 1,550 warheads each, on top of thousands of
Global
2010-04-13:
others not covered by the pact. All of which raises this question: Nearly two decades after the end of the cold war, with terrorists, rather than
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703565804575238473064051364.html?KEYWORDS=%22the+conservative+party+returned+to+power%22"]Government
Soviet despots, the main threat, why does the world still need so many weapons? Baker. Wall Street Journal.
Starts to Make Plans to Reduce the Gaping Budget Deficit[/url].
920
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922
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Defense
2010-04-14:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303695604575181781075890998.html?KEYWORDS=leaders+pledge+to+secure+nuclear+fuel"]Leaders
Pledge to Secure Nuclear Fuel[/url].
[IM1:981]
World leaders closed out a global summit on nuclear security with a pledge to lock down hundreds of thousands of tons of weapons-usable
nuclear fuel by 2014, and set a 2012 summit in South Korea to measure progress.
But the leaders stepped back from legally binding plans to secure prescribed amounts of nuclear material or convert nuclear reactors that use
Global
2010-04-15:
highly enriched uranium to less-dangerous fuel. Instead, they said they would work together "as appropriate" and would make such
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303395904575157452266613406.html?KEYWORDS=inside+toyota+executives+trade+blame"]Inside
conversions "where technically and economically feasible," according to the final documents. Weisman. Wall Street Journal.
Toyota, Executives Trade Blame Over Debacle[/url].
[IM1:980]
Toyota Motor Corp.'s quality crisis is exposing?????and exacerbating?????a long-simmering internal feud. The battle pits the founding Toyoda
US
2010-04-15:
family against a group of professional managers, each blaming the other for the auto maker's woes. Shirouzu. Wall Street Journal.
Economy [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303411604575168030083419748.html?KEYWORDS=strapped+city+cuts+and+cuts"]Strapped
City Cuts and Cuts[/url].
[IM1:982]
Like many American cities, this one is strapped for cash. Tax collections here have fallen so far that the city has turned off one-third of its
24,512 street lights.
US
Economy
Other cities are making similar efforts to harness community spirit to provide or pay for services, albeit on a smaller scale. Duluth, Minn., last
2010-04-15:
year relied on the YMCA to pay for life guards at its city beach. Phoenix trains volunteers to remove graffiti that city workers used to erase.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303828304575179600670102086.html?KEYWORDS=panel+decides+it%27s+too+soon"]Panel
Many public libraries are asking donors who used to finance special programs to pay for basic operations. Eaton. Wall Street Journal.
Decides It's Too Soon To Pinpoint Recession's End[/url].
[IM1:984]
The committee of academic economists that dates the beginning and end of U.S. recessions stopped short of calling an end to the downturn
that started in December 2007, drawing public criticism from a committee member who pushed for decisive action.
Related Video
* Capital: Was the Recession Really That Great?
* News Hub: Weak Economy Impacts Workers' Goals
* News Hub: Economist Warns of More Volatility Ahead
Most members of the National Bureau of Economic Research's Business Cycle Dating Committee have said the recession probably ended in
mid-2009, when several key economic indicators reached their trough and the economy started growing again. Reddy. Wall Street Journal.
924
Human
Health
925
Human
Health
926
Public
Opinion
927
US
Economy
2010-04-15:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304506904575180331528424238.html?KEYWORDS=medical+schools+can%27t+keep+up"]Medical
Schools Can't Keep Up[/url].
[IM1:983]
The new federal health-care law has raised the stakes for hospitals and schools already scrambling to train more doctors.
Experts warn there won't be enough doctors to treat the millions of people newly insured under the law. At current graduation and training
rates, the nation could face a shortage of as many as 150,000 doctors in the next 15 years, according to the Association of American Medical
2010-04-15:
Colleges. Sataline and Wang. Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304703104575174373476976674.html?KEYWORDS=regulators+to+review+new+drugs"]Regulators
to Review New Drugs to Curb Appetite[/url].
[IM1:985]
A new generation of anti-obesity drugs could hit the market in coming months, the latest attempt in what has proved a difficult medicine to
2010-04-22:
make safe for patients. Gryta. Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703404004575198353459457196.html?KEYWORDS=gop+candidates+court+seniors"]GOP
Candidates Court Seniors[/url].
[IM1:986]
Seniors are "scared to death," said Republican Jesse Kelly, a 28-year-old former Marine corporal vying for Rep. Giffords's seat. "They're
2010-04-22:
worrying about government rationing their health care." Phillips. Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703763904575196291509876752.html?KEYWORDS=land+prices+jump+as+home+builders+move+in"]Land
Prices Jump as Home Builders Move In[/url].
[IM1:990]
In Arizona and across the U.S., home builders are battling to acquire land lots in preparation for ramping up home construction. While volume
is tough to track, analysts report that land deals have been rising rapidly in recent months, causing land prices in some of the nation's weakest
housing markets to rise for the first time since 2006.
928
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933
Global
2010-04-22:
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704133804575197363596504510.html?KEYWORDS=airlines+in+flight+again+see+lesson+in+crisis"]Airlines,
in Flight Again, See Lesson in Crisis[/url].
[IM1:988]
Airlines world-wide scrambled Wednesday to move millions of passengers grounded by a five-day ban on European flights due to a cloud of
volcanic ash, and industry officials said the shutdown had cost them at least $1.7 billion and showed the need for more unified regulation.
Traffic at European airports reached 80% of its normal level on Wednesday after dropping as low as 20% on Sunday, according to Eurocontrol,
Global
2010-04-22:
which coordinates airspace across Europe. More than 100,000 flights have been canceled since European skies were closed starting last
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704133804575197822941053464.html?KEYWORDS=currencies+key+to+growth"]IMF
Thursday, marking the biggest disruption of global aviation since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Michaels, Munoz, Orwall. Wall Street
Warns of Threats to Global Economic Recovery[/url].
Journal.
[IM1:987]
The global economic recovery continues to strengthen, the International Monetary Fund said, but growth in the U.S. and wealthier nations in
Public
2010-04-22:
Europe may depend on a depreciation of their currencies compared to China and other developing countries. Barkley. Wall Street Journal.
Opinion
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704133804575198290459062592.html?KEYWORDS=democrats+at+the+edge+of+the+cliff"]Democrats
at the Edge of the Cliff[/url].
[IM1:989]
Democrats are spending trillions at the worst possible moment, with a new poll showing public trust in government at a historic low of 22%.
Global
2010-04-29:
Henninger. Wall Street Journal.
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703465204575207643839433762.html?KEYWORDS=%22a+new+survey+from+the+american+chamber+of+commerce%22"]US
Firms Criticize Chinese Policy[/url].
[IM1:995]
A new survey from the American Chamber of Commerce in China indicated that concern is growing among U.S. businesses in the country that
Human
2010-04-29:
protectionist policies are threatening their long-term future in a key market, even while they remain optimistic about an economy that has
Health
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703625304575116040870004462.html?KEYWORDS=home+care+yields+medicare+bounty"]Home
rebounded strongly from the global recession. Browne. Wall Street Journal.
Care Yields Medicare Bounty[/url].
[IM1:993]
Home health care??”treating sick patients in their homes rather than paying for costly hospitalizations??”is the fastest growing area of the
health-care industry, aimed at saving billions of dollars every year.
But an analysis by The Wall Street Journal of Medicare payments to home health-care companies in recent years raises questions about
Global
2010-04-29:
whether some companies??”including the sector's largest, Amedisys Inc.??”are taking advantage of the Medicare reimbursement system. The
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704423504575211411771441050.html?KEYWORDS=contagion+fear+hits+spain"]Contagion
results show that the number of in-home therapy visits tracks Medicare financial incentives. Martinez. Wall Street Journal.
Fear Hits Spain[/url].
[IM1:992]
A cut to Spain's credit rating on Wednesday, just one day after downgrades to Portugal and Greece, fueled fears that the euro zone's debt
crisis is widening and sent new tremors through financial markets.
934
US
Economy
935
US
Economy
936
US
Economy
Chiefs of the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank went to Berlin to exhort reluctant German lawmakers to support the
2010-04-29:
IMF-European Union rescue package for Greece. According to German officials, IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn said the aid could total up
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704464704575208522431096734.html?KEYWORDS=finance-bill+proposal+worries+banks"]Finance-Bill
to ?‚¬120 billion ($158 billion) over three years??”nearly three times the amount recently pledged. Walker and Shah. Wall Street Journal.
Proposal Worries Banks[/url].
[IM1:994]
A proposal gaining ground on Capitol Hill to force banks to spin off their derivatives-trading operations would represent a severe blow to one of
Wall Street's most profitable businesses.
Banks took in about $20 billion in revenues in 2009 on trading of derivatives, according to industry estimates of the size of the market for
2010-04-29:
financial contracts tied to other assets, such as oil or mortgages. Patterson and Sidel. Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704464704575208563774928300.html?KEYWORDS=obama+trade+goal+face+doubts"]Doubts
Raised over US Export Goals[/url].
[IM1:991]
President Barack Obama's goal of doubling U.S. exports over the next five years will be difficult to meet, business leaders and economists say,
because of the lack of momentum on demolishing trade barriers and the shift by more American companies toward producing overseas.
U.S. exporters want Washington to put more pressure on trading partners to eliminate tariffs, crack down on intellectual-property violations and
2010-05-13:
take a harder line on trading partners' currency policies. American firms say stronger action by the federal government could substantially
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703565804575238531779684468.html?KEYWORDS=start-ups+begint+o+find+buyers+after+drought"]Start-Ups
boost prospects for U.S. exports. Reddy. Wall Street Journal.
Begin to Find Buyers After Drought[/url].
[IM1:998]
Big companies are back on the prowl for start-ups and the IPO market has come back to life, providing some relief to the battered
venture-capital industry that invests in young firms.
The activity isn't evenly spread. Some venture capitalists caution the current spate of deals is confined to a relatively narrow set of high-growth
937
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940
941
942
943
944
945
US
Economy
2010-05-13:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703871904575215870609767844.html?KEYWORDS=spending+propels+recovery#project%3DGDP_LAYOFFS10%26articleTabs%3Darticle"]Business
Spending Propels Recover[/url].
[IM1:1002]
The U.S. economy grew at a slower pace in the first quarter, but the underlying trends??”including a bigger share of growth from industry,
strong consumer spending and low inflation??”were encouraging.
The nation's gross domestic product, the value of all goods and services produced, grew at an annual rate of 3.2% after climbing 5.6% in the
Global
2010-05-13:
fourth quarter, the Commerce Department said Friday. Reddy. Wall Street Journal.
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703871904575216390657719012.html?KEYWORDS=latin+america+frets+while+spain+burns"]Latin
America Frets While Spain Burns[/url].
[IM1:1003
For Latin America, whose economic volatility triggered countless international crises over the years, the financial mess in Spain heralds a role
reversal. These days, it is the relatively robust economies of Latin America which are fretting about contagion from the sickly Old World.
Human
Health
Just as Latin America was gearing up for solid region-wide expansion of 4% this year, caution flags are rising amid the pessimistic outlook for
2010-05-13: [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704250104575238121192548644.html?KEYWORDS=obesity+plan"]White
Spain, second to the U.S. as a source of foreign investment and emigrant remittances in the region. Hussain. Wall Street Journal.
House Obesity Plan Mixes Carrots With Sticks[/url].
[IM1:996]
The White House is calling on food makers to curb marketing of unhealthy foods to children, part of a broad assault against childhood obesity.
The recommendation is part of an 120-page report released Tuesday that outlines steps to fight the national epidemic. One in every three
children ages 2-19 is overweight or obese, the report says. First Lady Michelle Obama has taken up childhood obesity as her signature cause.
Adamy. Wall Street Journal.
Defense
2010-05-13:
Spending [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704608104575220112898707130.html?KEYWORDS=pentagon+in+race+for+raw+materials"]Pentagon
and
in Race for Raw Materials[/url].
Technology [IM1:1001]
The U.S. military is gearing up to become a more active player in the global scramble for raw materials, as competition from China and other
countries raises concerns about the cost and availability of resources deemed vital to national security.
The Defense Department holds in government warehouses a limited number of critical materials??”such as cobalt, tin and zinc??”worth about
Education 2010-05-13:
$1.6 billion as of late 2008. In the coming weeks, the Pentagon is likely to present a plan for Congress to overhaul its stockpiling program.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704866204575224350917718446.html?KEYWORDS=bar+raised+for+law-grad+jobs"]Bar
Pleven. Wall Street Journal.
Raised for Law-Grad Jobs[/url].
[IM1:1004]
About 40,000 law-school students will graduate this spring and enter one of the worst job markets for attorneys in decades. This year's classes
Human
2010-05-13: [url="http://www.gallup.com/poll/126977/Global-WellBeing-Surveys-Find-Nations-Worlds-Apart.aspx"]Global Wellbeing[/url].
have it particularly bad, according to lawyers and industry experts. Though hiring was down last year as well, they said 2009 graduates applied
Health
[IM1:1000]
for jobs before law firms had felt the full brunt of the downturn. Koppel. Wall Street Journal.
Gallup's global snapshot of wellbeing reveals a vast divide that underscores the diversity of economic development challenges around the
world. The percentage who are "thriving" ranges from a high of 82% in Denmark to a low of 1% in Togo." Gallup.
Global
2010-05-13:
Economies [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/12/business/economy/12leonhardt.html?scp=1&sq=greece,%20debt%20and%20a%20lesson&st=cse"]Greece,
Debt, and a Lesson[/url].
[IM1:999]
The numbers on our federal debt are becoming frighteningly familiar. The debt is projected to equal 140 percent of gross domestic product
Education 2010-05-18:
within two decades. Add in the budget troubles of state governments, and the true shortfall grows even larger. Greece??™s debt, by
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704314904575250710618322500.html?KEYWORDS=university+of+california"]University
comparison, equals about 115 percent of its G.D.P. today. Leonhardt. New York Times.
of California Plans to Slash Funding[/url]
[IM1:1005]
The UC system is closely watched as the nation's largest university system by budget, and it has been hit particularly hard by California's fiscal
troubles.
US
Economy
Over the past two fiscal years, California has cut funding per student by 22% to $7,570, UC officials said. Adjusted for inflation, state funding
2010-05-19:
per UC student has fallen 54% since the 1990-91 fiscal year, they said. Tuna. Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703691804575254091622651542.html?KEYWORDS=inflation+at+44-year+low"]Inflation
at 44-Year Low[/url].
[IM1:1008]
U.S. inflation slid last month to its lowest level in 44 years, highlighting a potentially troublesome unevenness in the global recovery.
Inflation has sped up in booming economies such as China and Brazil, while in many developed nations like the U.S., prices remain tame,
even flirting with deflation in some cases. Whitehouse and Frangos. Wall Street Journal.
946
Mexico
947
US
Housing
Market
948
949
950
951
952
2010-05-19:
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704314904575250573671583864.html?mod=WSJ_World_LEFTSecondNews"]Mexico's
'Eliot Ness' seeks U.S. Help[/url]
[IM1:1006]
More than 23,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence across Mexico, according to government figures. The bloodshed keeps
2010-05-19:
rising despite the presence of an estimated 45,000 to 60,000 soldiers??”roughly a fourth of Mexico's army??”in nine states. Luhnow. Wall
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704691304575254553726071986.html?KEYWORDS=delinquent+loans+plateau+at+high+level"]Delinquent
Street Journal.
Loans Plateau at High Level[/url].
[IM1:1010]
The number of American households behind on mortgage payments appears to have reached a plateau at a high level as the economy
recovers, a survey showed Wednesday.
At the same time, people who fall behind on their mortgages are staying in their homes longer as banks struggle with huge volumes of calls for
Defense
2010-05-19:
help and with the complexities of federal and state foreclosure-prevention programs. Hagerty. Wall Street Journal.
Spending [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704691304575254852330482886.html?KEYWORDS=coast+guard%27s+role+scrutinized"]Coast
and
Guard's Role Scrutinized[/url].
Technology [IM1:1009]
Federal authorities have challenged the Coast Guard, the country's chief marine safety regulator, in hearings in the past two weeks over
Global
2010-05-19: [url="http://www.economist.com/daily/chartgallery/displayStory.cfm?story_id=16173466&source=features_box4"]Atlantic Drift[/url].
whether it has used all its powers to ensure that mobile offshore drilling rigs are seaworthy and prepared for fires. Bustillo and Smith.
Economies [IM1:1011]
The decline of the euro is often treated as a matter for exporters alone. A weaker currency allows German manufacturers to grab market share.
But nations used to prefer fixed currencies because they were attractive to creditors and investors. And, as the chart shows, an international
(dollar-based) investor is probably regretting his exposure to European markets right now. Whereas a US stockmarket portfolio is flat this year,
US
2010-05-19: [url="http://www.economist.com/world/united-states/displaystory.cfm?story_id=16113306&source=hptextfeature"]The Perils of
thanks to the euro a European portfolio is down 18%. If they think that the euro decline will continue, international investors may think twice
EmploymentBeing Small[/url].
about investing in European companies. The Economist.
[IM1:1007]
The contribution made by small businesses to overall job creation is often exaggerated. They do indeed account for most new jobs, but they
also account for most job losses. Unfortunately, reliable data that tracks their net employment performance is scarce. The Treasury
Global
2010-05-24 [url="http://www.economist.com/business-finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=16168096"]That Sinking Feeling[/url]
Department has now helpfully addressed this shortcoming by culling hiring-and-firing data from the Bureau of Labour Statistics by size of
Economies [IM1:1012]
establishment. It shows that since the recession began in December 2007, firms with fewer than 50 employees have shed jobs at a rate of
The pipes of the world??™s financial system are gumming up again. One concern is that American money-market funds, which Barclays
0.4% per month, compared to just 0.2% both at firms with 50 to 249 employees and at larger firms. The Economist.
Capital reckons have lent $300 billion-$500 billion to European banks, are cutting their exposure to Europe, making it hard for banks and
companies to borrow. LIBOR, the interest rate that banks charge one another to borrow, has jumped to levels not seen since August. The
Environment2010-05-26 [url="http://paulrademacher.com/oilspill/#San+Francisco"]Gulf Coast Oil Spill Map[/url]
pressure is growing on EU states to get a ?‚¬500 billion stabilisation fund, the biggest chunk of the bail-out, up and running. The Economist.
[IM1:1013]
On April 20th, an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon left 17 workers injured and 11 missing and presumed dead. Oil is spilling from a well
5000 feet below sea level, discharging 200,000 gallons of crude oil a day according to the official estimate. It is estimated that more than 6
million gallons of crude oil have spewed into the Gulf so far.
But how big is the spill, really? It's hard to get a sense of the true size when it's over the ocean floor. Paul Rademacher.
953
954
955
956
Health
2010-05-28 [url="http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/20-worst-drinks-america-2010"]20 Worst Drinks in America[/url]
[IM1:1016]
Over the past 50 years or so, we Americans have developed a severe drinking problem.
We stopped making our own iced teas and lemonades (recipe: water, lemon, sugar) and started buying them in bottles or mixes, with
ingredients like "high-fructose corn syrup" and "ascorbic acid" on the labels. We stopped thinking of a soda as a treat - akin to an ice cream or
a candy bar - and started seeing it as the equivalent of a glass of water, drinking two, three, four, or more a day. Then we stopped drinking
water out of the tap and started demanding that it be artificially flavored and put into bottled with the words "vitamin" or "energy" stamped on
2010-05-28 [url="http://www.binaryspark.com/current/"]Current: A News Project[/url]
their labels. And, in just the last decade or so, many of us stopped brewing our own coffee and started buying things with vaguely European
[IM1:1015]
names, like "mocha latte." And the result of all this beverage evolution is that, today, walking into a convenience store or a beverage
Current shows a snapshot of what the entire internet-using population in America has been thinking for the last 24 hours, in the form of their
distributorship has become dangerous to our health. Men's Health.
collective search history. This information is condensed for readability into memes, living ???thought organisms??™ that act as though they
have agency, control, and a selfish motivation. Zoe F.
Global
2010-05-28 [url="http://www.brookings.edu/reports/2010/05_economic_recovery_prasad.aspx?slideshow=1&slide=0"]TIGER: Tracking Indexes
Economies for the Global Economic Recovery[/url]
[IM1:1014]
Brookings Institution.
Global
2010-06-02 [url="http://www.gapminder.org/downloads/gapminder-world-map/"]Gapminder World Map 2010[/url]
Economies [IM1:1017]
The Gapminder World Map was produced by Gapminder in May 2010, with the latest available data (2008). The chart compares all countries
and territories by income and health. Gapminder.
957
Environment2010-06-03 [url="http://paul.kedrosky.com/archives/2010/05/gulf_oil_produc.html"]Gulf Oil Production by Water Depth[/url]
[IM1:1021]
Part of what we're seeing here is the inevitable "normal accidents" from changing technology as we transition from one extraction depth regime
to another. Paul Kedrosky. InfectiousGreed.
958
US
Economy
959
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2010-06-03 [url="http://www.economytrack.org/mainchart.php"]Economy Track[/url]
[IM1:1020]
Economy Track adds context to current unemployment levels and other economic data through a series of interactive charts that are both
in-depth and user-friendly. Click on one or our charts to understand the story behind the numbers or to get some historic or demographic
perspective on the current economy. Economic Policy Institute.
US Politics 2010-06-04 [url="http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/interactive/2010/06/shadow-congress-interactive-graphic.php"]Shadow Congress[/url]
[IM1:1018]
It's not exactly breaking news that Washington is stuffed to the gills with lobbyists. But what doesn't get as much attention is that, over the last
few decades, a vast army of what might be called uber-lobbyists has taken shape in the capital, made up of retiring lawmakers eager to cash in
on K Street after a lifetime of making do with public sector salaries.
We've compiled a close-to-comprehensive list of former Members of Congress currently working on behalf of private interests in Washington's
influence-peddling industry. We count 172 of them -- almost one-third the number of current members of Congress. Talking Points Memo.
Public
2010-06-07 [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/05/opinion/05blow.html"]Gay? Whatever, Dude.[/url]
Opinion
[IM1:1022]
For the first time, the percentage of Americans who perceive ???gay and lesbian relations??? as morally acceptable has crossed the 50
percent mark. Also for the first time, the percentage of men who hold that view is greater than the percentage of women who do. This new
alignment is being led by a dramatic change in attitudes among younger men, but older men??™s perceptions also have eclipsed older
Global
2010-06-09 [url="http://www.economist.com/daily/chartgallery/displayStory.cfm?story_id=16311568&source=features_box4"]Good
women??™s. While women??™s views have stayed about the same over the past four years, the percentage of men ages 18 to 49 who
Economies Intentions[/url]
perceived these ???relations??? as morally acceptable rose by 48 percent, and among men over 50, it rose by 26 percent. Blow. New York
[IM1:1023]
Times.
Fears of a ???jobless recovery??? in the West have abounded ever since the world economy returned from the abyss last year. For some, the
latest quarterly survey from Manpower, a global employment-services company, brings timely good news. Of the 36 countries included in
US
2010-06-10
Manpower??™s survey, employers in 30 of them are increasingly bullish about their hiring plans for the next three months compared with the
Economy [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2010/06/hotel-occupancy-increases.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+CalculatedRisk+(Calculated+Risk)"]Hotel
third quarter of 2009. Only in five countries, all of them in debt-laden Europe, are employers expecting negative hiring activity over the next
Occupancy Increases[/url]
quarter. This compares favourably, however, to the seven European countries with a negative outlook just three months ago. The survey
[IM1:1024]
suggests that the BICs (Brazil, India and China) bounce will continue. The three countries, along with Taiwan, report the most positive hiring
The graph shows the distinct seasonal pattern for the occupancy rate - higher in the summer because of leisure/vacation travel. The
plans in the survey, with China reporting its strongest hiring plans since the survey began there in 2005. The Economist.
occupancy rate collapsed in the 2nd half of 2008 (blue line), and 2009 was the worst year since the Great Depression.
Africa
For the last three months, the occupancy rate has been running above the same period in 2009 - but still well below the normal level. Last year
2010-06-11
leisure travel (summer) held up better than business travel, now it appears business travel is recovering - and we will soon see if leisure travel
[url="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/869cd7ae-724e-11df-9f82-00144feabdc0,dwp_uuid=8ec5410e-6a48-11df-b268-00144feab49a.html"]How
Well
willAfrica
is
also pick
Governed?[/url]
up this year. Calculated Risk Blog.
[IM1:1027]
See how the governance scores of African nations have changed since 2000, based on the Ibrahim Index. The map shows countries scores in
US
2010-06-15
a range, from dark blue for low scores to dark red for countries that are better governed. Financial Times.
Economy [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/15/business/15bp.html?scp=1&sq=for%20bp%20toll%20is%20expected%20beyond%20the%20cleanup&st=cse"]Estimating
BP's Exposure...and How It Might Pay Claims[/url]
[IM1:1028]
On the face of it, BP can easily afford to pay the short-term costs of the oil well that is leaking millions of gallons into the Gulf of Mexico. Last
US
2010-06-16 [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/17/business/economy/17slump.html?src=me&ref=general"]Still Depressed[/url]
year, the company earned $17 billion, and it ended the year with more than $8 billion in cash. But concerns about BP??™s ability to meet all its
Housing
[IM1:1029]
obligations over the long haul ??” or even survive the crisis intact ??” are rattling the government, Gulf Coast residents and investors. New
Market
Construction of new homes in May dropped 17.2 percent from April, the Commerce Department said Wednesday, significantly lower than
York Times.
forecast. Permits for future construction dropped 10 percent, suggesting a cruel summer.
Even the lowest home mortgage rates in decades are not doing much to invite deals. The Mortgage Bankers Association said Wednesday that
applications for loans to buy houses were down by a third compared with last year. Applications are back to the level of the mid-1990s, when
the country??™s housing market was smaller.
Against such a backdrop of misery, buyers are empowered ??” and are taking full advantage. New York Times.
966
Education 2010-06-19 [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/19/MNOG1E1AL6.DTL&type=education"]CSU trustees raise tuition
by 5%[/url]
[IM1:1033]
University trustees raised tuition by 5 percent Friday, boosting the undergraduate fee a couple hundred dollars to $4,230 - and warning they
might do it again in November.
967
Global
2010-06-21
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703438604575314833883953898.html?mod=WSJ_economy_LeftTopHighlights"]Grain
Surplus Sows Trouble[/url]
[IM1:1030]
Two years after the global food crisis peaked, grain shortages are turning into surpluses that could create their own problems.
Some traders and economists are speculating that if the U.S. and world economies don't heat up soon, surpluses could turn into
price-depressing gluts. While cheap grain is good news for consumers and livestock producers, excessive supplies increase a government's
cost for farm subsidies and tend to ignite trade fights between the big farming powers.
968
US
Economy
This tension is growing partly because many of the farmers in the U.S. Midwest who were plagued by rainy growing seasons in recent years
2010-06-21
are having few problems so far this year. Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704638504575318790269574872.html?mod=WSJ_economy_LeftTopHighlights"]Few
Bright Spots for Stocks[/url]
[IM1:1031]
Super-low Fed interest rates helped fuel epic rallies in risky assets last year. Now, though rates will likely stay low indefinitely, epic rallies might
be harder to come by.
That doesn't preclude further short-term rallies in risky assets like stocks and corporate bonds, both of which jumped last week. And China's
announcement over the weekend that it plans to let its currency fluctuate could benefit risky assets such as stocks and bonds in the short run.
969
But the effects might be short-lived as longer-term issues come to the fore. Wall Street Journal.
Global
2010-06-22
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703650604575312552243998056.html?KEYWORDS=alcoa+treks+into+jungle+to+cut+costs"]Alcoa
Treks Into Jungle to Cut Costs[/url]
[IM1:1032]
This steamy, isolated outpost, with its dusty streets and sun-baked buildings, may hold the key to recovery for Alcoa, the world's biggest
aluminum maker.
The company has been battered by one of the fastest, steepest downturns in the mining and metals industry, and Alcoa Chief Executive Klaus
Kleinfeld's recovery plan has been to whip out the corporate checkbook and build or buy nearly $4 billion of new operations, as well as slash
other company costs.
970
Global
2010-06-23
Here, deep in the Amazon jungle, the company is spending $1.5 billion to create a new, low-cost bauxite mine. Wall Street Journal.
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704853404575322250714865956.html?KEYWORDS=UK+unveils+severe+%27unavoidable+budget%27"]U.K.
Delivers 'Unavoidable' Budget[/url]
[IM1:1034]
Britain's new government laid out what it dubbed an "unavoidable budget," seeking to tame a massive deficit with billions of pounds in
spending cuts and tax increases that hit public-sector workers, banks, welfare recipients and others.
971
US
Housing
Market
In his first budget, Treasury chief George Osborne judged that the long-term risk of avoiding tough action is greater than the short-term risk of
2010-06-23
undercutting the economic recovery. That debate could dominate the Group of 20 meeting of large economies this week, with mainly European
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/23/business/economy/23econ.html?scp=1&sq=Mortgage%20delays%20blamed%20for%20decline%20in%20home%20sales&st=cse"]Mortgage
nations calling for austerity measures while other countries, led by the U.S., say stimulus is still necessary. Wall Street Journal.
Delays Blamed for Home Sales Decline[/url]
[IM1:1035]
Sales of existing homes fell in May, hurt by delays in mortgage applications and uncertainty over a federal flood insurance program, the
National Association of Realtors said on Tuesday.
There were 5.66 million sales of existing homes last month, down from a revised 5.79 million in April, the association said. While the seasonally
adjusted figure for May was weaker than the 6.12 million analysts had expected, it represented a 19 percent increase from the same month
last year.
972
Global
2010-06-23
The association??™s chief economist, Lawrence Yun, said the year-over-year increase was driven by a federal tax credit that applied only to
Economies [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/23/world/europe/23policy.html?scp=1&sq=obama%20hopes%20to%20expand%20economic%20ties%20with%20russia&st=cse"]Obama
home buyers who close before the end of June, making it unlikely that the performance would be sustained. New York Times.
Hopes to Build Economic Relations With Russia[/url]
[IM1:1036]
In his quest to restore relations with Russia, President Obama focused first on security issues like disarmament and Iran. But with an arms
control treaty signed and sanctions against Tehran approved, Mr. Obama hopes this week to open a new phase intended to build the robust
economic relationship that has eluded his predecessors.
At Mr. Obama??™s invitation, President Dmitri A. Medvedev traveled to the United States on Tuesday, stopping first in California to woo
973
Human
Health
2010-06-24
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703900004575325130511028968.html?mod=WSJ_article_LatestHeadlines"]New Rx for
Young Doctors: Shorter Work Day[/url]
[IM1:1038]
Amid continued concern about errors by overworked medical residents, hospitals would be forced to curtail shifts and increase supervision of
some doctors-in-training under proposed new guidelines for residency programs released Wednesday.
The plan from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, which certifies residency programs, goes well beyond previous efforts
to limit work hours. Many patient advocates and physicians hailed it as a step in the right direction, but it would likely pose logistical and
financial challenges for teaching hospitals.
974
US
Economy
2010-06-24
Residency, the multiyear training period after doctors complete medical school and before they practice independently, is notoriously rigorous.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/24/business/24private.html?scp=1&sq=on%20wall%20street,%20so%20much%20cash,%20so%20little%20time&st=cse"]On
Newly minted doctors traditionally work shifts that can last longer than a full day, with little opportunity to rest. Wall Street Journal.
Wall Street, So Much Cash and So Little Time[/url]
[IM1:1037]
Only on Wall Street, in the rarefied realm of buyout moguls, could you actually have too much money.
Private equity firms, where corporate takeovers are planned and plotted, today sit atop an estimated $500 billion. But the deal makers are
desperate to find deals worth doing, and the clock is ticking.
Public pension funds, university endowments, insurance companies and other institutions have pledged to invest many billions with them ??”
provided the deal makers can find companies to buy. If they fail, investors can walk away, taking lucrative business with them.
975
US
Economy
Private equity funds generally tie up investors??™ money for 10 years. But they typically must invest all the money within the first three to five
years of the funds??™ life. For giant buyout funds raised in 2006 and 2007, at the height of the bubble, time is short. They must invest their
money soon or return it to clients ??” presumably along with some of the management fees the firms have already collected. Some of the
industry??™s biggest players, like David M. Rubenstein of the Carlyle Group, Henry Kravis of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and David Bonderman
of TPG, have more than $10 billion apiece in uncommitted capital ??” what is known as ???dry powder??? ??” according to Preqin, an industry
2010-06-25
research firm.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704227304575327273014747664.html?KEYWORDS=jobless+bill+dies+amid+deficit+fears"]Bill
to Extend Unemployment Benefits Dies[/url]
Some buyout firms are asking their clients for more time to search for companies to buy. Many more are rushing to invest their cash as quickly
[IM1:1042]
as possible, whatever the price. New York Times.
Spooked by concern about deficits, the Senate shelved a spending bill that included an extension of unemployment benefits, suddenly cutting
off a federal cash spigot opened by President Barack Obama when he took office 18 months ago.
The collapse of the wide-ranging legislation means that a total of 1.3 million unemployed Americans will have lost their assistance by the end of
this week. It will also leave a number of states with large budget holes they had expected to fill with federal cash to help with Medicaid costs.
The impasse has been weeks in the making and reflects the deepening concern on Capitol Hill with the nation's fiscal situation, as well as a
hardening of Republican opposition. Democrats had moved several times to pare the cost of the bill in an effort to win support from centrist
Republicans and to make up defections from their own ranks.
976
Global
2010-06-25
On Thursday, Senate Democrats failed to secure the 60 votes needed to break off a GOP-led filibuster. Wall Street Journal.
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704911704575326663298989290.html?KEYWORDS=world+diamond"]Kimberly Process
Keeps Diamond Ban[/url]
[IM1:1040]
The ban on diamond exports from a controversial field in Zimbabwe will remain in place for now, a top Kimberley Process official said
Thursday, after four days of negotiations at a meeting in Tel Aviv failed to reach a final decision.
The protracted discussions on whether to allow diamond exports from a controversial field in Zimbabwe have exposed deep fissures within the
Kimberley Process, turning the meeting into a referendum on the viability of the group as a global monitor for the stones.
Members of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme??”nations, watchdog groups and industry representatives??”gathered this week in
Tel Aviv in an attempt to persuade Zimbabwe to comply with Kimberley regulations.
Zimbabwe has been under investigation for allowing the military to control its Marange diamond field, as well as permitting diamond smuggling
and illegal panners??”mostly local people hoping to strike it rich in the unregulated area. In November, the Kimberley Process suspended sales
of Marange diamonds until improvements could be made. Sales of diamonds from areas that remain in compliance with the Kimberley Process
were allowed to continue.
977
978
979
US
Economy
2010-06-25
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704911704575326952730163936.html?KEYWORDS=seeing+rebound+firms+spend"]Seeing
Rebound, Firms Spend[/url]
[IM1:1041]
Companies are stepping up spending on equipment as the recovery that first took hold in manufacturing broadens to other areas of the
economy.
Spending on such capital goods fell sharply during the recession, and even now, businesses remain cautious as they eye turbulence in Europe
Global
2010-06-25
and worry that the recovery could still stumble. But with demand for goods around the world continuing to rise, that uncertainty is being
Economies [url="http://www.economist.com/blogs/buttonwood/2010/06/indebtedness_after_financial_crisis?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/bl/debt"]Indebtedness after the
trumped by concern about getting left behind. Wall Street Journal.
financial crisis: World debt[/url]
[IM1:1043]
THE headlines are all about sovereign debt at the moment. But that is only part of the problem. Debt has risen across the economy, from
consumers on credit cards, though industrial companies borrowing for expansion and financial companies using debt to buy risky assets.
US
Economy
The interactive graphic above shows the overall debt levels for a wide range of countries, based on data supplied by the McKinsey Global
2010-06-25
Institute. In theory there is no maximum level for debt relative to GDP, but Ireland and Iceland (not on this map) found the limit in practice when
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/25/business/economy/25ipo.html?scp=2&sq=a%20long,%20hard%20path%20to%20the%20public&st=cse"]A
they hit eight-to-ten times GDP. The Economist via Chart Porn.
Company's Debut Hints at a Revival For the I.P.O.[/url]
[IM1:1039]
In 2000, when three Yale undergraduates founded an online financial services company called Higher One Holdings, they had visions of rapid
growth and successively bigger rounds of financing from investors. With any luck, momentum would build toward the ultimate dot-com dream:
a stock listing on a major public exchange.
Along the way, though, market forces placed obstacles in their path. First there was the collapse of the Internet bubble, followed by a drought
in private equity activity.
Then came a credit crisis that became a global banking crisis and, later, worries about European sovereign debt. As with so many other
start-ups, Higher One??™s founders spent years building the company.
Finally, a decade after its founding, Higher One got its chance on June 17, raising nearly $35 million in an initial public offering on the New
York Stock Exchange. The shares made their debut at $12 and closed on Thursday at $14.67, a slight rise from their first-day close.
980
Many analysts view Higher One??™s success as a sign of a long-awaited thaw in the market for initial public offerings. About 62 companies
have come to market this year in the United States, according to Thomson Reuters, outpacing the 61 that went public last year and the 34 that
did so in 2008. An additional 125 companies have started the process in hopes of soon going public.
Global
2010-06-28
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704846004575333303589295326.html?mod=WSJ_World_LEFTSecondNews"]Korea
The rise is being watched closely by venture capitalists and private equity investors who have been waiting years to cash out of their holdings
Trade Deal Has New Hope for White House[/url]
in companies like Higher One. New York Times.
[IM1:1044]
The Obama administration said it has made new progress on a free trade agreement with South Korea that could overcome resistance in
Congress, and agreed with Seoul to complete the pact by November.
The plan, a bid to jump-start a languishing trade agenda, was announced at the Group of 20 summit Saturday and is designed to end a
three-year impasse on a preliminary Free Trade Agreement reached with Korea in 2007.
Seoul hosts the next Group of 20 meeting in November, where a deal on the agreement would be unveiled.
981
President Barack Obama is likely to face resistance from unions that fear any new trade pacts may cede jobs to nations abroad. Business, on
the other hand, has pushed for the pact, arguing that it will spur exports and create employment in the U.S. Mr. Obama has been walking a
Global
2010-06-29
political line between both important constituencies. Wall Street Journal.
Economies [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/business/global/29austerity.html?sq=as%20europe%20looks%20to%20cut%20deficits,%20ireland%20shows%20the%20costs%20of%20austerity&st=cse&adxnnl=1&
Ireland, a Picture of the Cost of Austerity[/url]
[IM1:1045]
As Europe??™s major economies focus on belt-tightening, they are following the path of Ireland. But the once thriving nation is struggling, with
no sign of a rapid turnaround in sight.
Nearly two years ago, an economic collapse forced Ireland to cut public spending and raise taxes, the type of austerity measures that financial
markets are now pressing on most advanced industrial nations.
Rather than being rewarded for its actions, though, Ireland is being penalized. Its downturn has certainly been sharper than if the government
982
US
2010-06-29 [url="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/29/BU6S1E6AFA.DTL"]Long-term jobless lose out in Senate
Employmentstruggle[/url]
[IM1:1046]
Started during the Depression to cushion the effects of layoffs, unemployment insurance typically lasts 26 weeks. But with more than 40
percent of jobless Americans currently out of work longer than six months, Congress had temporarily extended benefits to a maximum of 99
weeks - helping Toledo and millions of others.
A recent Democratic bid to continue that 99-week maximum through the end of November failed Friday to break a filibuster threat in the Senate
after Republicans refused to add the $33 billion cost of extended benefits to a federal budget deficit that's already roughly $1.4 trillion. As a
result of the Senate's inaction, the authorization and funding for the extended benefits for Toledo and others ceased.
983
US
Economy
984
US
Economy
2010-06-30
Typical job seekers are devastated by the benefit cutoff. The state Department of Employment Development says benefit checks to 250,000
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703374104575337143601301602.html?KEYWORDS=fear+of+a+stall+hits+the+market"]Fear
Californians have stopped. Each week, thousands more will collect their last checks unless the extension issue is resolved. San Francisco
of a Stall Hits Market[/url]
Chronicle.
[IM1:1048]
American stocks and bond yields fell sharply as concerns mounted that the economy might be in for a slowdown.The Dow Jones Industrial
2010-06-30
Average fell 2.6% back below 10000 on slumping U.S. consumer confidence, the downward revision of a Chinese economic indicator and
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704103904575336660675607520.html?KEYWORDS=wal-mart+installs+stores+chief"]Wal-Mart
worries about the health of Europe's banks. Yields on 10-year Treasury notes fell below 3% to their lowest level since April 2009, a sign
Installs Stores Chief[/url]
investors were seeking out safe investments.The Conference Board, a non-profit research group, reported Tuesday that consumer confidence
[IM1:1051]
dropped in June, wiping out gains from the previous two months. The index fell to 52.9, down sharply from a downwardly revised 62.7 the
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. put a new executive in charge of its slumping U.S. stores division Tuesday following four straight quarters of sluggish
month before, with an increasing number of households saying jobs were "hard to get." Wall Street Journal.
sales growth.
Bill Simon, who has been serving as chief operating officer for the U.S. stores, will immediately succeed Eduardo Castro-Wright, who had
overseen American Wal-Mart stores for the past five years.
The 50-year-old Mr. Simon was heavily involved in two of the retailer's most important changes in recent years: the adoption of a $4
prescription drug program and the ongoing remodeling and de-cluttering of the company's aging U.S. stores. Mr. Simon wasn't made available
for an interview.
985
Global
2010-06-30
Mr. Castro-Wright will remain with Wal-Mart to head a global sourcing initiative aimed at cutting costs, as well as a recently created
Economies [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/30/business/economy/30leonhardt.html?scp=1&sq=government%20pulling%20back,%20amid%20echoes%20of%20the%201930s&st=cse"]Governments
"global.com" effort to bolster the retail giant's international e-commerce business. He will also retain his title as vice chairman, the company
Move to Cut Spending, in 1930s Echo
said. Wall Street Journal.
[/url]
[IM1:1050]
The world??™s rich countries are now conducting a dangerous experiment. They are repeating an economic policy out of the 1930s ??”
starting to cut spending and raise taxes before a recovery is assured ??” and hoping today??™s situation is different enough to assure a
different outcome.
In effect, policy makers are betting that the private sector can make up for the withdrawal of stimulus over the next couple of years. If
they??™re right, they will have made a head start on closing their enormous budget deficits. If they??™re wrong, they may set off a vicious
new cycle, in which public spending cuts weaken the world economy and beget new private spending cuts.
On Tuesday, pessimism seemed the better bet. Stocks fell around the world, over worries about economic growth.
986
US
Economy
2010-06-30
Longer
term, though, it??™s still impossible to know which prediction will turn out to be right. New York Times.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/30/realestate/commercial/30cmbs.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=banks%20edge%20cautiously%20back%20into%20commercial%20mortgage-backed%20bonds&st=cse"]Comm
Mortgage-Backed Bonds Make a Comeback[/url]
[IM1:1047]
Once dominant, and then dormant, commercial real estate loans are beginning to show signs of life on the trading floor after a two-year slump.
Attracted by more conservative underwriting and the perceived bottoming-out of property values, banks like J. P. Morgan Chase and the Royal
Bank of Scotland are returning to the commercial mortgage-backed securities market, albeit cautiously.
Before the bubble burst, nearly half of all commercial real estate deals were financed by loans related to mortgage-backed securities.
As a lending instrument, they allow banks to remove loans from their balance sheets by bundling them into a diversified pool, which is then
issued as a bond. The payments collected from the sales are put toward future real estate loans. New York Times.
987
US
Economy
2010-07-01 [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/01/business/01bailout.html?scp=2&sq=TARP&st=cse"]Much-Despised TARP Could Make
an Early Exit[/url]
[IM1:1053]
While testifying on Capitol Hill last week about the government??™s bank bailout program, Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner likened the
hearing to a eulogy for the initiative.
The comment, which at the time seemed like wishful thinking, now appears prescient.
988
US
Economy
In an 11th-hour maneuver this week, the Obama administration and Congressional Democrats abruptly proposed phasing out the deeply
unpopular bailout program, enacted in the depths of the financial crisis. Spending authority under the Troubled Asset Relief Program, as the
bailout is called, would be redirected instead to pay for the financial regulation legislation nearing the finish line. New York Times.
2010-07-01
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/01/business/01crisis.html?scp=1&sq=crisis%20panel%20hears%20goldman%27s%20push%20for%20A.I.G.%27s%20cash&st=cse"]Crisis
Panel Hears of Goldman Push for A.I.G. Cash[/url]
[IM1:1054]
Executives of Goldman Sachs and the American International Group, the Wall Street titans whose long alliance dissolved into a battle that
shook the financial world, defended their actions on Wednesday before the federal commission investigating the financial crisis.
But perhaps more revealing than the executives??™ explanations was the release of 500 pages of documents by the panel, the Financial
Crisis Inquiry Commission, showing how Goldman??™s aggressive and repeated demands for billions in cash from A.I.G. drove the insurer to
the brink of failure in September 2008.
989
US
Economy
2010-07-01 [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/01/us/01aidsdrugs.html?_r=1&ref=united_states_economy"]Economy Wreaks Havoc on
The documents also revealed for the first time the dollar amounts behind Goldman??™s negative bet on A.I.G., which Goldman put in place to
Federal AIDS Drug Program[/url]
hedge its risk that A.I.G. might fail and not pay its obligations. New York Times.
[IM1:1052]
The weak economy is crippling the government program that provides life-sustaining antiretroviral drugs to people with H.I.V. or AIDS who
cannot afford them.
Nearly 1,800 have been relegated to rapidly expanding waiting lists that less than three years ago had dwindled to zero. As with other
safety-net programs, ballooning demand caused by persistent unemployment and loss of health insurance is being met with reductions in
government resources.
990
Without reliable access to the medications, which cost patients in the AIDS Drug Assistance Program an average of $12,000 a year, people
US
2010-07-03
with H.I.V. are more likely to develop full-blown AIDS, transmit the virus and require expensive hospitalizations.Eleven states have closed
Employment[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704898504575342593039984442.html?KEYWORDS=US+Jobs+Picture+Darkens+in+June"]U.S.
enrollment in the federal program, most recently Florida, which has the nation??™s third-largest population of people with H.I.V. New York
Jobs Picture Darkens in June[/url]
Times
[IM1:1056]
Nonfarm payrolls fell 125,000, their first month of losses this year, as the government let 225,000 census workers go, the Labor Department
said Friday. Private-sector employment grew by a slight 83,000 jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis, and seems to have downshifted from
average gains of nearly 200,000 in March and April.
The unemployment rate declined to 9.5% from 9.7% in May, but not because more jobs were available. Instead, 652,000 workers dropped out
of the labor force, meaning they weren't counted as unemployed and looking for work.
"The biggest problem is, we're getting economic growth but it's less than people had expected," said John Silvia, a Wells Fargo Securities
economist.
991
US
Economy
2010-07-03
The economy shed jobs in June as meager private-sector hiring failed to make up for the end of thousands of temporary census worker jobs,
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/03/business/03charts.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=more%20blacks%20see%20hope%20in%20economy&st=cse"]More
the latest signal that an already-slow recovery might be shifting into an even lower gear. Wall Street Journal.
Blacks See Hope in Economy[/url]
[IM1:1055]
The Great Recession hit American blacks harder than it did whites. Blacks were more likely to lose their jobs, and those who kept them were
more likely to have their pay or hours reduced. Black homeowners are also far more likely than whites to own homes that are no longer worth
what they owe on the mortgage.
And yet blacks are far more upbeat about the economy than whites. They are more likely to view economic conditions as good now, and more
likely to think that improvement is on the horizon.
The Pew Research Center this week released a report, ???How the Great Recession Has Changed Life in America,??? based largely on
polling data. It found that few Americans said they believed the recession had ended, although a much larger proportion said they thought the
economy was starting to recover.
992
US
Economy
2010-07-03 [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/03/business/economy/03illinois.html?scp=2&sq=illinois&st=Search"]Illinois Stops Paying Its
Bills, but Can't Seem to Stop Digging Hole[/url]
[IM1:1057]
Even by the standards of this deficit-ridden state, Illinois??™s comptroller, Daniel W. Hynes, faces an ugly balance sheet. Precisely how ugly
becomes clear when he beckons you into his office to examine his daily briefing memo.
He picks the papers off his desk and points to a figure in red: $5.01 billion.
???This is what the state owes right now to schools, rehabilitation centers, child care, the state university ??” and it??™s getting worse every
single day,??? he says in his downtown office.
993
994
US
Economy
For the last few years, California stood more or less unchallenged as a symbol of the fiscal collapse of states during the recession. Now Illinois
has shouldered to the fore, as its dysfunctional political class refuses to pay the state??™s bills and refuses to take the painful steps ??” cuts
and tax increases ??” to close a deficit of at least $12 billion, equal to nearly half the state??™s budget. New York Times.
2010-07-06
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704334604575338902990899406.html?KEYWORDS=cost+of+stimulus+cash+vexes+universities"]Cost
of Stimulus Cash Vexes Universities[/url]
[IM1:1058]
The $18.2 billion marked out in last year's federal stimulus package for research and development was hailed as a boon for universities, but
many that received funds are finding their share of the costs burdensome.
The conundrum is apparent at the University of California. Since early 2009, the UC, which has the biggest research budget of any university
system, has won $690 million in stimulus grants for research through the National Institutes of Health, Department of Energy and other
agencies. The money has funded more than 1,600 projects in areas such as cancer and climate change, creating hundreds of jobs and
continuing a decade-long trend of rising research funding from federal agencies and private foundations.
Global
2010-07-07
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704178004575350901919366406.html?KEYWORDS=US+UK+go+different+ways+to+fight+deficits"]U.S.,
But the stimulus grants have also required the UC to spend about $69 million that wasn't reimbursed by federal agencies to support the new
U.K. Go Different Ways to Fight Deficits[/url]
research projects. That helped push the UC's total unreimbursed research-related costs to an estimated $800 million in the fiscal year ended
[IM1:1061]
June 30, up around 11%from $720 million a year earlier, university officials said. This came as the public university system grappled with a $1
The U.S. and U.K. have two of the highest budget deficits in the world, but while Britain's newly elected government has embraced austerity in
billion budget shortfall amid reductions in state funding. Wall Street Journal.
a bid to quickly cut the deficit, Washington continues to bang the drum for more spending, saying it is essential to rescue the global economy.
Other European leaders, notably German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Central Bank chief Jean-Claude Trichet, have echoed the
British approach.
But given the similarities of the so-called Anglo-Saxon economies, the contrast in the U.S. and U.K. approaches is most stark.
The differing tacks have several explanations. The two nations' political cycles aren't in sync: The U.K. coalition government just took office,
while President Barack Obama faces a midterm election in November.
Also, the U.S. economy is considered more dynamic, while the U.K. is concerned about getting tarred by the euro-zone crisis.
In the near term, some economists say the U.K.'s tough medicine could force the struggling economy back into recession. Wall Street Journal.
995
US
Economy
2010-07-07
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704178004575351350812562256.html?KEYWORDS=shopping+centers+struggle+but+hope+seen"]Shopping
Centers Struggle, but Hope Seen[/url]
[IM1:1059]
Vacancies and lease rates at U.S. shopping centers continued to worsen in the second quarter, but the slowing pace of the deterioration hints
at a recovery starting in the coming quarters.
Vacancies at large malls in the top 80 U.S. markets rose to 9% in the second quarter, up from 8.9% during the first quarter, according to
real-estate research company Reis Inc. Mall vacancies have increased steadily for nearly four years as consumers reined in their spending and
retailers closed stores and curtailed expansions.
Meanwhile, lease rates at U.S. malls fell for the seventh consecutive quarter, but the 0.2% decline in the second quarter to $38.72 per square
foot was the smallest in that span.
The situation is similar for strip centers, which are smaller shopping centers generally anchored by grocery stores or big discount retailers like
996
US
Economy
2010-07-07
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704862404575350760960639790.html?KEYWORDS=slowing+service+growth+adds+to+recovery+doubts"]Slowing
Service Growth Adds to Recovery Doubts[/url]
[IM1:1060]
The vast U.S. service sector grew more slowly in June, the latest sign the economic recovery is losing steam.
An index based on a survey of U.S. purchasing managers showed service-related businesses grew for the sixth month in a row, but at a slower
pace than the month before.
The Institute for Supply Management's index of nonmanufacturing activity declined to 53.8, compared with 55.4 in May. Numbers over 50
represent growth.
The economic recovery so far has been driven by strength in manufacturing, which has been boosted by a rebound in global trade and
rebuilding of inventories that were cut sharply during the recession. But those factors are beginning to fade and growth in manufacturing has
begun to slow as well.
997
That makes it all the more crucial that service businesses continue growing and don't falter. Services account for two-thirds of U.S. gross
Global
2010-07-07 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704862404575350881947408868.html?KEYWORDS=AgBank"]AgBank IPO
domestic product. Wall Street Journal.
Economies at $19.21 Billion[/url]
[IM1:1062]
Agricultural Bank of ChinaLtd., the last of China's four big banks to go public, raised US$19.21 billion in Hong Kong and Shanghai and is still in
the running to pull off the biggest initial public offering of stock on record.
AgBank and its advisers set the per-share price for the Hong Kong portion of its IPO at 3.20 Hong Kong dollars (41 U.S. cents), near the
middle of the indicative range, people familiar with the matter said. In Shanghai, its shares were priced at 2.68 yuan (about 40 U.S. cents), at
the top end of the range, they said.
That means China's fourth-largest lender by assets could raise $22.1 billion if both overallotment options are exercised, besting its peer,
Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. ICBC's $21.9 billion IPO in 2006 is the world's largest to date.
998
999
The ability to execute the deal despite rocky markets illustrates investors' faith in China's growth story. Global investors view Chinese banks as
US
2010-07-07
one of the best ways to gain exposure to the world's fastest-growing major economy. It also highlights China's importance to international
Employment[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/07/business/economy/07generation.html?scp=1&sq=many%20young%20americans%20not%20seeking%20work&st=cse"]American
capital markets. Wall Street Journal.
Dream Is Elusive for New Generation[/url]
[IM1:1063]
For young adults, the prospects in the workplace, even for the college-educated, have rarely been so bleak. Apart from the 14 percent who are
unemployed and seeking work, as Scott Nicholson is, 23 percent are not even seeking a job, according to data from the Bureau of Labor
Statistics. The total, 37 percent, is the highest in more than three decades and a rate reminiscent of the 1930s.
The college-educated among these young adults are better off. But nearly 17 percent are either unemployed or not seeking work, a record
level (although some are in graduate school). The unemployment rate for college-educated young adults, 5.5 percent, is nearly double what it
was on the eve of the Great Recession, in 2007, and the highest level ??” by almost two percentage points ??” since the bureau started to
Technology 2010-07-08 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704545004575353092563126732.html?KEYWORDS=facebook"]Facebook
keep records in 1994 for those with at least four years of college.
Touts Selling Power of Friendship[/url]
[IM1:1066]
Yet surveys show that the majority of the nation??™s millennials remain confident, as Scott Nicholson is, that they will have satisfactory
Facebook Inc. is trying to rev up its advertising business with a little help from your friends.
careers. They have a lot going for them. New York Times.
The social-networking site is aggressively pitching to big advertisers like Ford Motor Co. and PepsiCo Inc. the latest in a series of ad formats
that tell users which of their Facebook friends have expressed interest in the brand or product featured in the ad.
The so-called social-context ads, which Facebook started rolling out over a year ago, are based on data it collects on the likes and friends of its
users. The ads appear on the right side of a user's homepage, with an image and headline from the advertiser. With the ads are the names of
any of the user's friends who have clicked on a button indicating they like the brand or ad. The user is also offered a chance to indicate he likes
the ad.
1000
Facebook says it hired Nielsen Co. to conduct a study and found that including information about individuals a person knows in an ad boosts
Global
2010-07-08
recall of the ad by 68% and doubles awareness of a brand's message. Wall Street Journal.
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704545004575353340027996282.html?KEYWORDS=imf+sees+rising+risks+slowing+pace+of+world+recovery"]IMF
Sees Recovery Risks Slowing Pace of World Recovery[/url]
[IM1:1064]
The slow-motion global recovery is losing steam, with growth over the next 18 months widely expected to fall below the pace of the first half of
1001
US
Housing
Market
2010-07-08
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704764404575286882690834088.html?KEYWORDS=+%27extend+and+pretend%27"]To
Fix Sour Property Deals, Banks 'Extend and Pretend'[/url]
[IM1:1065]
Some banks have a special technique for dealing with business borrowers who can't repay loans coming due: Give them more time, hoping
things improve and they can repay later.
Banks call it a wise strategy. Skeptics call it "extend and pretend."
Banks are applying it, in particular, to commercial real-estate lending, where, during the boom, optimistic borrowers got in over their heads to
the tune of tens of billions of dollars.
A big push by banks in recent months to modify such loans??”by stretching out maturities or allowing below-market interest rates??”has
slowed a spike in defaults. It also has helped preserve banks' capital, by keeping some dicey loans classified as "performing" and thus
minimizing the amount of cash banks must set aside in reserves for future losses.
1002
US
Housing
Market
Restructurings of nonresidential loans stood at $23.9 billion at the end of the first quarter, more than three times the level a year earlier and
2010-07-09
seven times the level two years earlier. Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/09/business/economy/09rich.html?scp=1&sq=well-off%20are%20more%20likely%20to%20default%20on%20mortgages&st=cse"]Biggest
Defaulters on Mortgages Are the Rich[/url]
[IM1:1067]
No need for tears, but the well-off are losing their master suites and saying goodbye to their wine cellars.
The housing bust that began among the working class in remote subdivisions and quickly progressed to the suburban middle class is striking
the upper class in privileged enclaves like this one in Silicon Valley.
Whether it is their residence, a second home or a house bought as an investment, the rich have stopped paying the mortgage at a rate that
greatly exceeds the rest of the population.
More than one in seven homeowners with loans in excess of a million dollars are seriously delinquent, according to data compiled for The New
York Times by the real estate
analytics firm CoreLogic.
By contrast, homeowners with less lavish housing are much more likely to keep writing checks to their lender. About one in 12 mortgages
below the million-dollar mark is delinquent.
Though it is hard to prove, the CoreLogic data suggest that many of the well-to-do are purposely dumping their financially draining properties,
just as they would any sour investment. New York Times.
1003
US
Economy
2010-07-12
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704258604575361022564322124.html?KEYWORDS=the+herd+instinct+takes+over"]The
Herd Instinct Takes Over[/url]
[IM1:1069]
Stocks are trading in lock-step more than at any time since the 1987 crash, and the trend has some analysts concerned.
In recent weeks, stocks in the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index have shown an increasing tendency to move in the same direction at the
same time. Last week, those stocks' tendency to move in the same direction as the index hit an extreme not seen since October 1987,
according to research by investment group Birinyi Associates in Westport, Conn.
1004
The market's flock-like behavior is one more reflection of the growing influence of investors using broad-based strategies to buy and sell large
blocks of stocks. Instead of picking individual stocks to hold over a period of time, they trade in and out of the market using broad indexes.
Often, these investors use exchange-traded funds, which trade as easily as a single stock but contain many different stocks that may belong to
the S&P 500, the Nasdaq 100 or another index.
US
2010-07-12
Employment[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704258604575361211172235450.html?KEYWORDS=hiring+tax+credit+pushed"]To
Heavy trading in exchange-traded funds means more stocks are likely to move in the same direction on any given day. Analysts call that
Boost Jobs, Obama Looks to Underused Stimulus Programs[/url]
correlation, a mathematical term meaning similarity of behavior. Correlation is on the rise, to the frustration of investors who are trying to
[IM1:1068]
analyze stocks based on their underlying strengths and weaknesses. Wall Street Journal.
The Obama administration, stymied by a deficit-wary Congress reluctant to replenish stimulus spending, hopes to combat unemployment by
using existing programs that have not been fully implemented.
1005
US
Economy
2010-07-12
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704545004575353102793970916.html?KEYWORDS=small+investors+flee+stocks+changing+market+dynamics"]Small
Investors Flee Stocks, Changing Market Dynamics[/url]
[IM1:1070]
Many individual investors were tiptoeing back into stocks in the spring. Now, they're running for cover again.
Small investors' faith in stocks, which surged in the 1990s, has collapsed since the technology-stock debacle and the Enron and WorldCom
scandals of 2000-2002. The 2007-2009 financial crisis only made things worse. Now, the pullback among ordinary investors means they are a
declining force in a market that is increasingly dominated by professionals.
1006
Sports
Some were tantalized by equities during the 70% rally that began in March 2009 and ran through April. But mutual-fund data and other clues
2010-07-13
suggest that that brief infatuation has ended. Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703283004575363214110587160.html?KEYWORDS=san+francisco+marathon"]The
Race Even Marathoners Fear[/url]
[IM1:1072]
Every year, marathons in New York and Chicago draw some 40,000 participants each.
But not the San Francisco Marathon. The race, which takes place July 25, attracted fewer than 7,000 runners last year, and open slots for the
upcoming event remain plentiful. The reason: San Francisco's famous hills, which draw tourists from around the world, are a bear for runners
to traverse. "To put it tactfully, this course is not for the casual runner," says Jenny Schmitt, spokeswoman for the San Francisco Marathon.
The San Francisco Marathon's low profile frustrates its fans. This year, the race's organizers have hired new publicists to try to raise its profile.
Many runners loath to do the full race have been drawn to a half-marathon option added about a decade ago, and more recently a second
half-marathon alternative route has been put in place.
1007
1008
Global
2010-07-13
Going the whole distance in San Francisco has put off some first-time marathoners who don't want to risk falling short of the finish line. And
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704288204575362540673909592.html?mod=WSJ_WorldMarkets_LEFTCarousel_1"]In
many seasoned runners don't want to waste their energies on a race that offers no hope of setting a personal record. Wall Street Journal.
Mainland China, the Rich Get Rich Younger[/url]
[IM1:1071]
To see one key difference between the wealthy in Hong Kong and mainland China, take a look at 26-year old Chinese property developer
Yang Huiyan and 82-year-old Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing. The gap in their ages highlights a pattern playing out among the wider investing
public in Hong Kong and China. According to a survey to be released Tuesday by HSBC Holdings, the average age of the wealthiest 10% of
investors in mainland China is 36. By comparison, the average age of the richest investors in Hong Kong is 48.
US
2010-07-15
Economy [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704746804575366972508336894.html?KEYWORDS=rousing+the+spirits+of+business+to+create+more+jobs"]Rousing
HSBC said the discrepancy likely reflects the difference between Hong Kong's mature business environment and China's relatively young
the Spirits of Business to Create More Jobs[/url]
capitalist system. The report also found that the wealthiest investors in Hong Kong were twice as likely to be childless than those in mainland
[IM1:1074]
China. Wall Street Journal.
Optimistic forecasters say the U.S. economy is likely to grow at a bit better than a 3.5% annual pace over the next 12 months, but even they
say that will leave unemployment at a still-high 9% or so a year from now. The moderately pessimistic, whose ranks are growing daily, foresee
growth a full percentage point or more slower. The seriously pessimistic are talking "double dip."
A new Wall Street Journal survey finds that nearly half of 46 private forecasters queried said the U.S. won't return to 5.5% unemployment until
2015 or later.
The surest way to bring the unemployment rate down faster is for the U.S. economy to grow more rapidly. On that score, a scan of the
economic landscape is discouraging.
1009
US
Economy
2010-07-15
Consumer spending? That seems unlikely to propel the economy to 4% or better growth if wage increases are scarce and Americans remain
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704746804575367172177309754.html?KEYWORDS=signs+of+risky+lending+emerge+in+US"]Signs
shell-shocked by the collapse in housing prices and the ups and downs of 401(k) retirement accounts. Housing? It may rebound in percentage
of Risky Lending Emerge in U.S. as Standards Loosen[/url]
terms, but from a very low level. Exports? The rising U.S. dollar and sluggishness in Europe don't bode well. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:1075]
Even as lenders struggle to pull themselves out of the credit crisis, signs of a new and potentially dangerous infatuation with risky borrowers
are emerging. From credit cards to auto loans to mortgages, the hunger for new business as the crisis ebbs is causing some financial
institutions to weaken lending standards and woo borrowers who mightn't be able to pay.
A spokeswoman for Capital One said customers who "fully settled" their old debts might get a credit-card solicitation "with appropriately
conservative spending limits." The spokeswoman said, however, that doesn't mean "that a consumer will receive a card."
Capital One won a court judgment against Ms. Davis for the money owed and she repaid it.
Fannie Mae, seized by the U.S. government in 2008 to avert the mortgage company's failure, launched an initiative in January that allows
1010
US
Economy
2010-07-15
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704746804575367481067232288.html?KEYWORDS=obama+courts+doubters+on+stimulus"]Obama
Courts Stimulus Doubters[/url]
[IM1:1073]
President Barack Obama travels to Western Michigan on Thursday to promote his stimulus plan in a community awash in stimulus dollars but
where many residents, like a majority of U.S. voters, are skeptical his economic program is working.
The trip, part of a campaign dubbed "Recovery Summer" by the White House, is intended to reassure Americans the U.S. economy is returning
to a sound footing in advance of the fall elections.
Doubt among voters in more conservative parts of Michigan reflects a wider concern over the president's plans.
Holland, Mich., where Mr. Obama visits Thursday, has seen a big infusion of cash from the president's economic stimulus plan: hundreds of
millions of dollars for new automotive battery plants, tens of millions for schools, as well as millions more for housing, small businesses,
university research and transportation.
1011
US
Economy
Yet many in the region of 260,000 people, struggling with 12% unemployment, are skeptical the federal spending has made an impact. Wall
2010-07-16
Street Journal.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703722804575369132297973608.html?KEYWORDS=airlines+cruise+to+profits+with+newfound+strength"]Airlines
Cruise to Profits With Newfound Strength[/url]
[IM1:1077]
Two years after U.S. airlines were pounded by soaring fuel prices followed by the recession, the industry appears poised to post its first
meaningful profit since 2007's third quarter.
The major U.S. carriers will begin reporting second-quarter results next week, led by Delta Air Lines Inc. on Monday. Analysts expect all but
one of the nine largest carriers??”AMR Corp.'s American Airlines??”to be in the black for the quarter and all of 2010, thanks to moderate fuel
prices, an improving U.S. economy, fewer seats on offer and increased revenue from checked luggage and other optional services.
1012
Environment2010-07-16
Analyst Michael Derchin of CRT Capital Group LLC even foresees a slight profit for American, although Wall Street's mean estimate calls for a
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704682604575368851204817616.html?KEYWORDS=oil+spill+halts+for+now+as+bp+tests+out+new+cap"]Oil
quarterly loss of three cents a share. Mr. Derchin forecasts that the largest airlines will report net income of $1.7 billion in the June quarter,
Stops Flowing as BP Begins to Test Cap on Leaking Gulf Well[/url]
compared with a loss of nearly $1 billion a year earlier.Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:1076]
Oil stopped flowing into the Gulf of Mexico from BP PLC's blown-out well for the first time in nearly three months. But BP and U.S. officials
warned it was far too early to declare victory.
BP said Thursday afternoon it shut the valves on a new cap on the well as it tested its latest effort to contain the massive spill.
That temporarily stopped the surge of crude oil that has fouled a wide swath of the Gulf from Texas to Florida, upended domestic politics in the
U.S. and raised the prospect that the oil industry will face significant new government curbs on its activities on and offshore.
The test could take up to 48 hours to complete. If the results are ideal, the cap could be used to stop the flow from the well while work resumes
on efforts to plug it permanently. More likely, a successful test will enable BP to siphon all the oil from the well to ships on the surface in a
controlled manner, eliminating leaks until the permanent fix is made.
Although BP has managed to temporarily halt the undersea gusher, company and federal officials insist there is only one permanent solution to
the disaster: A relief well that will tap into the shaft of the blown-out well and allow BP to pour heavy drilling fluid and cement into the oil
reservoir, 19,000 feet below the water's surface, to kill the leak for good.
1013
US
2010-07-18 [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/19/business/19training.html?scp=2&sq=data&st=cse"]The New Poor - Job Training
BP has said the relief well could be finished by the end of July. U.S. officials have stuck to an estimate of mid-August. Wall Street Journal.
EmploymentStruggles to Keep Pace in an Economy in Flux[/url]
[IM1:1078]
For six weeks, Mr. Valle, 49, absorbed instruction in spreadsheets and word processing. He tinkered with his r?©sum?©. But the interviews his
caseworker eventually arranged were for low-wage jobs, and they were mobbed by desperate applicants. More than a year later, Mr. Valle
remains among the record 6.8 million Americans who have been officially jobless for six months or longer. He recently applied for welfare
benefits.
???Training was fruitless,??? he said. ???I??™m not seeing the benefits. Training for what? No one??™s hiring.???
Hundreds of thousands of Americans have enrolled in federally financed training programs in recent years, only to remain out of work. That has
intensified skepticism about training as a cure for unemployment.
1014
US
2010-07-20
Employment[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704720004575377550714752536.html?KEYWORDS=senate+to+extend+jobless+benefits"]Senate
Set to Extend Jobless Benefits[/url]
[IM1:1079]
The Senate, after weeks of contentious debate, is poised to extend unemployment benefits Tuesday for more than 2.5 million Americans.
The issue has become a flash point in the parties' attempts to define themselves for the fall election campaigns. Congress has voted six times
since June 2008 to extend benefits, but Republican resistance has grown along with concerns about the deficit.
GOP senators say they want to help the jobless but that the extended benefits must be paid for so as not to add to the deficit. Democrats say
the spending is justified, given the struggles of the long-term unemployed in a poor economy.
1015
US
Economy
On Tuesday, Democrats are likely to get the 60 votes they need to extend the benefits through November. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan
Collins, both Maine Republicans, are expected to support the measure, after Democrats agreed to drop unrelated items and trim the bill to $34
2010-07-20
billion. Democrats had originally introduced a $120 billion bill that included such items as aid to cash-strapped states. Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704720004575377571641706214.html?KEYWORDS=september+issue"]Stronger Ad
Sales Evident in September Fashion Magazines[/url]
[IM1:1081]
A recovery in advertising spending and excitement around Apple Inc.'s iPad have helped perk up the magazine industry this year.
In the latest sign of a rebound, 12 out of 15 major fashion and beauty magazines sold more pages of ads in their closely watched September
issues than they did a year ago. The month historically is an important barometer for magazine advertising as designers pitch new fashions,
car companies show off new models, and retailers try to lure back-to-school shoppers.
Overall, the magazine industry is showing signs of health. For the first time in more than two years, the number of advertising pages was
higher in the three months ended in June than in the same quarter a year earlier, according to the Publishers Information Bureau. Big spending
by auto makers has among the biggest contributors to growth.
Publishers and advertisers are also eager to make use of the multimedia possibilities inherent in the iPad and other tablet computers.
1016
Human
Health
Magazine advertising still hasn't approached the heady days of 2007, when glossies barely fit in mailboxes. The September 2007 issue of
2010-07-20
Vogue had 725 pages of advertisements. This year, it has more than 532 ad pages, one quarter more than the doldrums of September 2009.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/20/health/20cancer.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=advances%20in%20detection%20linked%20to%20bad%20diagnoses%20and%20unneeded%20surgery&st=cse"]Advances
Wall Street Journal.
in Detection Linked to Bad Diagnoses and Unneeded Surgery[/url]
[IM1:1080]
As it turns out, diagnosing the earliest stage of breast cancer can be surprisingly difficult, prone to both outright error and case-by-case
disagreement over whether a cluster of cells is benign or malignant, according to an examination of breast cancer cases by The New York
Times.
Advances in mammography and other imaging technology over the past 30 years have meant that pathologists must render opinions on ever
smaller breast lesions, some the size of a few grains of salt. Discerning the difference between some benign lesions and early stage breast
cancer is a particularly challenging area of pathology, according to medical records and interviews with doctors and patients.
1017
US
Economy
Diagnosing D.C.I.S. ???is a 30-year history of confusion, differences of opinion and under- and overtreatment,??? said Dr. Shahla Masood, the
head of pathology at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville. ???There are studies that show that diagnosing these
2010-07-21
borderline breast lesions occasionally comes down to the flip of a coin.???
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703724104575379473713612064.html?KEYWORDS=new+gadgets+power+apple+sales"]New
Gadgets Power Apple Sales[/url]
There is an increasing recognition of the problems, and the federal government is now financing a nationwide study of variations in breast
[IM1:1082]
pathology, based on concerns that 17 percent of D.C.I.S. cases identified by a commonly used needle biopsy may be misdiagnosed. Despite
Apple Inc.'s quarterly profit surged 78%, as the company booked strong initial sales of its iPad tablet computer and the latest version of its
this, there are no mandated diagnostic standards or requirements that pathologists performing the work have any specialized expertise,
smartphone, the iPhone 4.
meaning that the chances of getting an accurate diagnosis vary from hospital to hospital. New York Times.
The company also issued a strong forecast for the current quarter, allaying immediate concerns that the iPhone 4's high-profile antenna
problems might slow Apple's sales. Apple's revenue in the quarter ended June 26 rose 61% to $15.7 billion.
Chief Executive Steve Jobs in a press release touted the results as "phenomenal" and promised that Apple had "amazing new products still to
come this year."
Apple is selling iPads and iPhones "as fast as we can make them" and "working around the clock to try to get supply and demand in balance,"
Tim Cook, the company's operating chief, said on a conference call.
1018
Commodities
2010-07-21
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704229004575371040494593692.html?KEYWORDS=california%27s+new+pot+patch"]California's
New Pot Patch[/url]
[IM1:1083]
Northern California's so-called Emerald Triangle, famous for marijuana farms that supply much of the U.S. with high-quality pot, is facing
competition from hundreds of miles away??”in Los Angeles County.
As this year's marijuana-harvest season gets under way, law-enforcement officials are focused on the Southern California county, which by
some measures has bloomed into the nation's most productive pot garden.
Law-enforcement agents seized more than 734,000 pot plants in Los Angeles County last year??”the highest number of seizures in the country
for that year. The haul surpassed those even in California's most-prolific northern counties, with the biggest 2009 seizure coming from Shasta
County at 629,000 plants.
1019
US
Housing
Market
2010-07-21
Northern California as a whole still grows most of the nation's pot, according to law-enforcement officials. But the drastic spike in Los Angeles
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704723604575379422092146814.html?KEYWORDS=scrutiny+turns+to+retirement+centers"]Scrutiny
County pot-plant seizures has law-enforcement officials trying to figure out what is behind the increase, and whether it represents a real shift in
Turns to Retirement Centers[/url]
the lucrative pot trade. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:1085]
A fast-growing sector of senior housing is coming under increased scrutiny in Washington.
On Wednesday, a Senate committee will hold a hearing to discuss mounting concerns about continuing-care retirement communities, or
CCRCs, which often charge large upfront fees to seniors in exchange for the promise of lifetime care. The hearing comes on the same day the
Government Accountability Office releases a report urging state regulators of the CCRCs to be vigilant in their oversight of the communities.
CCRCs offer a range of care??”from independent-living apartments to skilled nursing facilities??”that allows seniors to "age in place." These
communities often collect six-figure entrance fees that can help finance construction and are sometimes refundable to a resident's heirs after a
unit is reoccupied.
Similar communities have been around for more than a century, typically run by religious or fraternal organizations that cared for seniors who
turned over their homes or assets, according to the GAO.
1020
Environment2010-07-21
During the real-estate boom, the communities attracted thousands of residents as well as investors seeking to capitalize on the wave of Baby
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/21/business/economy/21leonhardt.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=overcome%20by%20the%20heat%20and%20inertia&st=cse"]Overcome
Boomer retirees. Many CCRCs were built by for-profit development companies, and some investors flocked to the high-yield municipal bonds
by the Heat and Inertia[/url]
often used to finance the communities. But demand for CCRC units dropped during the recession as fewer seniors were able to afford the
[IM1:1084]
steep entrance fees. (They also pay monthly fees for services.) That threw some highly leveraged communities into financial distress, leading
[Washington, D.C.] just endured its hottest June since records began in 1872, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
some consumer advocates and politicians to question whether seniors living in CCRCs are sufficiently protected. Wall Street Journal.
Administration. So did Miami. Atlanta suffered its second-hottest June, and Dallas had its third hottest.
In New York, the weather was relatively pleasant: only the fourth-hottest June since 1872. Then again, New York is on pace for its hottest July
on record.
Yet when United States senators and their aides file into work on Wednesday, on yet another 90-degree day, they may be on the verge of
deciding to do approximately nothing about global warming. The needed 60 votes don??™t seem to be there, at least not at the moment.
1021
Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, and President Obama may still find a way to cobble together the votes, as they did on health care and
Global
2010-07-22
financial regulation. Perhaps they can somehow persuade moderate Republicans to support a market-based limit on power plant emissions ??”
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703954804575381402626228296.html?KEYWORDS=imf+sees+euro-zone+debt+hobbling+growth"]IMF
a policy that power plants themselves seem open to. New York Times.
Sees Euro-Zone Debt Hobbling Growth[/url]
[IM1:1089]
Euro-area growth is expected to slog along at less than a 2% pace through 2012, the International Monetary Fund forecast, as many of the
region's countries focus on getting their debt problems under control.
The IMF said there were three major areas that needed to be addressed to establish a durable recovery: tackling weaknesses in the banking
sector, implementing ambitious fiscal consolidation plans, and moving ahead with fundamental structural reforms such as entitlement programs
and labor markets.
After the 16-nation euro zone sharply expanded its overall fiscal deficit in 2009 to fight the global recession, the IMF forecast that euro zone
would take a "neutral aggregate fiscal stance" in 2010, and would reduce its deficit somewhat over the following two years. The tighter fiscal
stance would limit growth, the IMF said, but was necessary to stabilize the euro zone's debt.
1022
US
Economy
2010-07-22
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704229004575371341507943822.html?KEYWORDS=more+strapped+litigants+skip+lawyers+in+court"]More
Strapped Litigants Skip Lawyers in Court[/url]
[IM1:1086]
The economic downturn has left more Americans with the daunting prospect of fighting court battles without a lawyer.
A growing number of people have found themselves in court facing costly financial proceedings such as declaring bankruptcy, fighting
foreclosure and litigating employment fights. Adding to the challenge, for many: The high cost of legal representation often prompts them to go
it alone.
1023
Human
Health
Legal experts say many people are likely losing claims and paying penalties they could have avoided with a lawyer at their side. Litigants often
2010-07-22
don't understand the sort of evidence they need to present in legal proceedings, said Florida state Judge Claudia Isom. Wall Street Journal.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/22/business/22hepatitis.html?scp=1&sq=new%20drugs%20buoy%20hopes%20in%20fighting%20hepatitis%20c&st=cse"]New
Drugs Buoy Hopes In Fighting Hepatitus C[/url]
[IM1:1088]
New medicines are being developed that are expected to transform the care of patients with hepatitis C, making treatment far more effective
and far less grueling.
The new drugs, which could start reaching the market as early as next year, could help subdue a virus that infects roughly four million
Americans, most of them baby boomers, and 170 million people worldwide.
About two dozen pharmaceutical companies are now pursuing drugs for hepatitis C, which an executive at Vertex Pharmaceuticals recently
called ???one of the largest pharmaceutical opportunities this decade.???
That is because the toll of the disease, which now kills about 12,000 Americans a year, is expected to rise in the coming decade. Although new
cases have dropped sharply, hundreds of thousands of people who were infected decades ago are expected to start experiencing the effects
of liver damage.
New cases of liver cancer are already rising year by year. And hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplants, like the one recently
received by the rock musician Gregg Allman.
1024
Human
Health
2010-07-22
Hopes for new treatments were buoyed in May by the first results from a late-stage clinical trial of one of the new drugs, telaprevir from Vertex.
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/22/health/22birth.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=new%20guidelines%20seek%20to%20cut%20rate%20of%20repeat%20caesareans&st=cse"]New
When added to the existing treatment ??” a combination of alpha interferon and ribavirin ??” telaprevir effectively cured 75 percent of patients,
Guidelines Seek to Cut Rate of Repeat Caesareans[/url]
compared with 44 percent of those treated with the existing drugs alone. And for many patients, the course of treatment could be halved to 24
[IM1:1087]
weeks. New York Times.
Most women who have had Caesarean sections can safely give birth the normal way later, studies have shown, but in recent years hospitals,
doctors and insurers have been refusing to let them even try, insisting on repeat Caesareans instead.
The decisions have been based largely on fears of medical risks and lawsuits, medical and legal experts say.
The hospital rules have infuriated many women, added to the nation??™s ever-increasing Caesarean rate and set off a bitter debate over who
controls childbirth. Now, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is issuing a new set of medical guidelines meant to make it
easier for women to find doctors and hospitals that will allow vaginal birth after Caesarean, or VBAC (pronounced vee-back).
Women??™s health advocates praised the new guidelines because they expand the pool of women considered eligible for vaginal births, but
they expressed doubts about whether the recommendations go far enough to change a decade of entrenched behavior by doctors, hospitals
and insurers.
1025
Education 2010-07-23
The new guidelines replace the obstetrician group??™s earlier ones ??” which were exactly what led many hospitals to ban VBAC in the first
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/23/education/23college.html?scp=1&sq=u.s.%20lags%20in%20attaining%20degree&st=cse"]Once a
place. But the group says it never intended to limit women??™s access to vaginal birth, and it acknowledges that its policies may have helped
Leader, U.S. Lags in College Degrees[/url]
fuel the trend toward too many Caesareans. New York Times.
[IM1:1091]
Adding to a drumbeat of concern about the nation??™s dismal college-completion rates, the College Board warned Thursday that the growing
gap between the United States and other countries threatens to undermine American economic competitiveness.
The United States used to lead the world in the number of 25- to 34-year-olds with college degrees. Now it ranks 12th among 36 developed
nations.
While access to college has been the major concern in recent decades, over the last year, college completion, too, has become a leading item
on the national agenda. Last July, President Obama announced the American Graduation Initiative, calling for five million more college
1026
US Federal 2010-07-23
Deficit
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/23/us/politics/23budget.html?scp=1&sq=pentagon%20is%20facing%20new%20pressures%20to%20trim%20its%20budget&st=cse"]Pentagon
Is Facing New Pressures to Trim Its Budget[/url]
[IM1:1090]
After nearly a decade of rapid increases in military spending, the Pentagon is facing intensifying political and economic pressures to restrain its
budget, setting up the first serious debate since the terrorist attacks of 2001 about the size and cost of the armed services.
Lawmakers, administration officials and analysts said the combination of big budget deficits, the winding down of the war in Iraq and President
Obama??™s pledge to begin pulling troops from Afghanistan next year were leading Congress to contemplate reductions in Pentagon
financing requests.
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has sought to contain the budget-cutting demands by showing Congress and the White House that he can
squeeze more efficiency from the Pentagon??™s bureaucracy and weapons programs and use the savings to maintain fighting forces.
But the increased pressure is already showing up in efforts by Democrats in Congress to move more quickly than senior Pentagon officials had
expected in trimming the administration??™s budget request for next year.
1027
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1029
Human
Health
2010-07-25
And in the longer term, with concern mounting about the government??™s $13 trillion debt, a bipartisan deficit-reduction commission is
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703467304575383593595643772.html?KEYWORDS=scientists+seek+to+tabulate+mysteries+of+the+aged"]Scientists
warning that cuts in military spending could be needed to help the nation dig out of its financial hole. New York Times.
Seek to Tabulate Mysteries of the Aged[/url]
[IM1:1094]
Renowned gerontologist Robert Young investigates the rarity of living to 110 years old, and the chances such an achiever of age has at
Education 2010-07-25
reaching 111 and beyond. The number of centurions has increased by 32 percent in the United States in the past five years due to advances in
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704249004575385500484438266.html?KEYWORDS=teachers+lose+jobs+over+test+scores"]Teachers
medical care, according to Census Bureau estimates. However, once the elderly cross the threshold of their 110th birthday, studies show that
Lose Jobs Over Test Scores[/url]
fewer and fewer come anywhere near taking the Guinness World Record for oldest person from Jeanne Clement, who died at 122 in 1997.
[IM1:1095]
Wall Street Journal.
Michelle Rhee, chancellor of Washington, D.C. schools, fired 241 teachers on Friday when they failed to pass a new evaluation system that
judges each teacher's ability by the grades of their students. In addition to this 6 percent of the 4,300 teacher workforce in the school system,
Rhee warned an additional 17 percent of the educators that if their students' grades in the notoriously poor-scoring school system do not
improve by the following year, they too will be terminated.
Commodities
2010-07-26
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704421304575383271764631764.html?KEYWORDS=adversary%27s+clean+start+with+wal-mart"]Seventh
While Rhee said her actions are motivated by a desire to improve the struggling school system, members of the teacher's union insist that
Generation Makes Clean Start With Wal-Mart[/url]
evaluating a teacher's ability to educate by a student's ability to understand curriculum is inherently unfair. Wall Street Journal.
[IM1:1093]
For years, Seventh Generation Inc. co-founder Jeffrey Hollender liked to say "hell would freeze over" before his company's environmentally
friendly household products would be sold by Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
He feels differently now. Starting next month, Seventh Generation staples, including laundry detergent, dish soap, all-purpose sprays and
disinfectant wipes, will be sold in about 1,500 Wal-Mart stores. By September, other cleaners, diapers and baby wipes will be available on
Walmart.com.
The move will bring Seventh Generation's specialty products to the broader, mainstream audience it has long coveted. For Wal-Mart, which
draws more than 137 million U.S. customers every week, carrying Seventh Generation could help boost its green credentials by finally winning
over one of its most vocal corporate critics.
"We've shifted dramatically in the way we see the world," Mr. Hollender says.
1030
US
Economy
2010-07-26
Five years ago, the world's largest retailer by revenue began setting goals to reduce its energy consumption, cut waste and introduce more
[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/26/business/economy/26earnings.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=industries%20find%20surging%20profits%20in%20deeper%20cuts&st=cse"]Companies
sustainable products. Last year, Wal-Mart introduced a program to screen chemical-based products for ingredients that could have harmful
Wringing Huge Profits From Job Cuts[/url]
health or environmental effects. It involved the government representatives and environmental groups like the Environmental Defense Fund in
[IM1:1092]
developing the program, which has helped the retailer earn more credit for its initiatives. Wall Street Journal.
This seeming contradiction ??” falling sales and rising profits ??” is one reason the mood on Wall Street is so much more buoyant than in
households, where pessimism runs deep and joblessness shows few signs of easing.
Many companies are focusing on cost-cutting to keep profits growing, but the benefits are mostly going to shareholders instead of the broader
economy, as management conserves cash rather than bolstering hiring and production. Harley, for example, has announced plans to cut 1,400
to 1,600 more jobs by the end of next year. That is on top of 2,000 job cuts last year ??” more than a fifth of its work force.
As companies this month report earnings for the second quarter, news of healthy profits has helped the stock market ??” the Standard &
Poor??™s 500-stock index is up 7 percent for July ??” but the source of those gains raises deep questions about the sustainability of the
growth, as well as the fate of more than 14 million unemployed workers hoping to rejoin the work force as the economy recovers.
1031
1032
1033
1034
1035
1036
1037
1038
Global
2010-09-10 [url="http://www.economist.com/node/16943853"]The Odd Decouple[/url]
Economies [IM1:1096]
Most of the world???„?s wealthy nations have had recovering GDP over the past two years, but one country???„?s recovery has been
unusually efficient: Germany. Although the United States, England, Japan, and other nations have seen increasing numbers, over the past two
quarters Germany has radically recovered in comparison. In the second quarter of 2010 the United States had a 1.6% GDP increase while
US
2010-09-23 [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/24/business/economy/24econ.html?_r=1&ref=business"]U.S. Home Sales in August
Germany had a 9% increase. Likely as a result of these figures, German unemployment figures are now below pre-recession levels.
Housing
Matched Modest Forecasts[/url] [IM1:1097]
Market
In July housing prices fell in the US, returning to more stable levels in August.
US
2010-09-24 [url="http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/09/20/nber-recession-ended-in-june-2009/"]Recession ended in June 2009 [/url]
Economy [IM1:1098]
The National Bureau of Economic Research determined that the current recession began in December 2007 and ended in June 2009. June
Commodites2010-09-24
2009 has been
[url="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/august-durable-goods-orders-drop-13-2010-09-24-839180"]August
marked as the end of the recession since recovery began as illustrated in the graph. However, the NBER durable-goods
does not conclude
orders
that the
drop
1.3%
economy
[/url] [IM1:1100]
is operating at normal capacity and would conclude another downturn as a new recession and not part of the same one.
Orders for U.S.-created durable goods fell by 1.3%, while the demand for nondefense capital goods rose by 4.1% in August. The changes in
US
these orders [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/25/business/economy/25charts.html?_r=1&src=busln"]Recessions
2010-09-25
could mean the US's GDP for the third-quarter could increase.
and Recoveries Are Not
Economy All the Same [/url] [IM1:1099]
The New York Times compares recessions, noting the current one seems to have a steep fall with a slow recovery.
World
2010-09-26 [url="http://www.economist.com/node/17043603"] Industrial Production of different countries [/url] [IM1:1101]
Economies Industrial production in the developed rich nations has fallen during the crisis. American factories currently produce less than they did in
January 2008. On the other hand, industrial production in China and India has not fallen below what it was at the beginning of 2008 though
US
growth has slowed
2010-09-27
[url="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/09/more-on-the-wealthy-poor-and-a/63582/"]More
considerably.
on the Wealthy Poor and
Economy a "Fair" Society[/url] [IM1:1102]
Perceptions people hold about wealth include the top 20% of wealth holders control under 60%; they think it should control just over 30%,
US
whereas in reality
2010-09-28
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704760704575516272337762044.html?mod=WSJ_hp_mostpop_read"]
top 20% of the US wealth control almost 85% of total wealth.
Economy Failing Banks and repercussions[/url] [IM1:1103]
Click to enlarge image
Since Sep 25th, 2008, 279 banks have collapsed. There were only three dozen bank failures in the six year period prior to this.
According to the top executive of investment-banking firm Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Inc, the number of US banks would fall from the current
7,932 to 5,000 over the next decade due to failures and consolidation. The large number of bank failures has eliminated many jobs, sped up
the drought in lending and left banks with more power to squeeze their customers.
Since 2008, the banking industry???„?s assets have shrunk by 4.5%. "If you reduce the amount of assets at a bank, it means they make fewer
loans, and that has a negative impact on the economy," says Richard Bove, a bank analyst at Rochdale Securities in Lutz, Fla
The banking industry has cut 188,000 jobs or 8.5% since 2007. The recession and the housing bubble collapse are to blame for this.
1039
1040
1041
Global
2010-09-28 US Economy[url="http://www.economist.com/node/17140165"] Worldwide Government Budgets[/url] [IM1:1104]
Economies Government budgets worldwide are in the red as a result of measures taken to stop the global economic crisis. There will have to be either an
increase in taxes or a slash in spending to reduce the deficit.
GlobeScan and PIPA for the BBC World Service administered a survey and asked over 22,000 people in 22 countries what they prefer their
governments do, reduce spending or increase taxes. A cut in public services spending was preferred by a majority to increased taxes.
US
2010-09-29 [url="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2010/09/cbo-obamas-tax-plan-could-be-worst-of-all/63759/"]CBO: Obama's Tax
Economy Plan Could Be Worst of All[/url]
[IM1:1105]
The Obama administration currently proposes to permanently extend the Bush cuts. While doing so would raise income and growth for the next
few years, the cuts would could harm the the economy by the end of the decade.
US
2010-09-30 US Economy[url="http://www.economist.com/node/17043472"] US Taxes: Enough to cover the deficit?[/url] [IM1:1106]
Economy Government spending is increasing due to economic stimulus measures, bail-outs and a small GDP. In 2009, spending was about 25% of the
GDP, up from 21% of GDP in 2008.
There is disagreement among the Democrats who feel that only 98% of the Americans should be given tax cuts and the Republicans who feel
that 100 % of Americans (this includes the rich 2%) should be given the cuts. The irony of the debate is that raising taxes on the top 2% of the
households would no doubt increase the tax revenue, but only by a negligible amount. Raising taxes for the rich alone will not rectify the deficit.
1042
US
Economy
At the current rate, taxes alone will not suffice to fix the deficit but a decrease in government spending is a possible option
2010-10-01 [url="http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/10/what-caused-flash-crash"]What Caused the Flash Crash?[/url] [IM1:1109]
An investigation by the SEC and the CFTC concludes the large sell-off on May 6th, 2010 was caused by a large sell order on E-Mini futures
contracts. The report concluded it was not caused by market manipulation
1043
US
Economy
1044
US
Economy
1045
US
Economy
1046
Global
Climate
1047
US
Economy
2010-10-01 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704029304575526222658114784.html"]Bailout Ends, Not Anger [/url]
[IM1:1107]
The 2008 Troubled Asset Relief Program.will officially end on Monday, October 4, 2010. Supported by both Democrats and Republicans,
elected lawmakers who voted for TARP are finding it has been detrimental for their midterm election campaigns.
2010-10-02
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704029304575526331692863238.html?mod=WSJ_article_MoreIn_Business"]Retailers
debate on raising prices[/url] [IM1:1108]
Companies selling consumer goods like beer, clothes, steaks, tires, etc are slowly increasing prices so that rising raw material costs do not eat
into their profit margins.
2010-10-04
If consumers don???„?t mind paying more, it is not only a signal that the economy is turning around but also that inflation is on the rise. On the
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703466104575529753735783116.html?mod=WSJ_economy_LEADStoryTop"]Americans
contrary, if the price rise does not go too well with consumers, companies will be forced to roll back price hikes.
are increasingly hostile towards free trade. [/url] [IM1:1110]
From those surveyed in the Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll on free-trade agreements, 53% said that these agreements have hurt the US,
up from 46% three years ago and 32% in 1999. The current tough economic conditions and unemployment seem to fuel this hostility.
"The important change is that very well-educated and upper-income people compared to five to 10 years ago have shifted their opinion and are
now expressing significant concern about the notion of...free trade," according to Republican pollster Bill McInturff, who helps conduct the
Journal survey.
2010-10-05
This is contrary to the opinion of businesses and economists who feel that these trade agreements help America. According to Myron Brilliant,
[url="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iwsL_RY6bdU9YcSBwBR9C7GUM1zw?docId=CNG.5cb7ef236c63dc32da7a98f3cefc25f2.481"]China
senior
tells
rich
vice
nations
president
to improve
for international
emission targets
affairs, U.S.
[/url] Chamber
[IM1:1111]of Commerce, "When we knock down barriers in those markets, we create jobs
here.
At
2010-10-06
theWe've
UN climate
got
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703298504575534341401915382.html?mod=googlenews_wsj"]Middle
tochange
trade totalks,
create
China
jobs urged
in our the
country."
US and other countries to lower their greenhouse gas emission targets. China said more
focus Americans
class
should be placed
tightenon
their
developed
purse strings
countries
[/url] to
[IM1:1113]
lower their emissions.
Click to enlarge image
Middle class Americans make do with less and have made the largest cut to their spending in two decades.
The annual spending of households comprising of the middle fifth of the population dropped by 3.5%from 2008. Meanwhile, the bottom fifth of
consumers???„? spending increased by 5.6% from 2007 to 2009 as the prices of necessities have increased.
1048
Education 2010-10-07 [url="http://www.economist.com/node/17155766?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/ar/chorusofdisapproval"]A chorus of disapproval [/url] [IM1:1115]
1049
Taxes
1050
US
Economy
Several books have stirred debate on French education. Criticisms include the current system is too harsh on pupils, placing undue stress and
anxiety on students. Current reforms under consideration include allowing students to work with a personal tutor if they have academic
difficulties.
2010-10-07 [url="http://www.economist.com/node/17198511?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/dc/letsgetfiscal"]Let's get fiscal [/url] [IM1:1114]
KPMG compared tax rates of 81 countries, with European countries topping the list.
2010-10-08 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703298504575534322091748554.html"]Increase in retail sales due to
aggressive pricing strategy and back-to-school shopping [/url] [IM1:1116]
Click to enlarge image
According to the National Retail Federation, holiday sales will rise 2.3% over 2009 mainly due to aggressive pricing strategies. September saw
strong sales thanks to the discount-driven prices on back-to-school children's and teen clothing.
"We expect a very, very competitive and aggressive Christmas and holiday selling season, price-focused," Bill Simon, chief executive of
Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s U.S. business, said at a recent conference.
1051
1052
US
2010-10-09 [url="http://technorati.com/politics/article/can-republican-obstructionism-be-morally-justified/"]Can Republican Obstructionism be
GovernmentMorally Justified? [/url] [IM1:1117]
Republicans have used the Senate filibuster more often than the vote. The previous Republican minority recorded 139 filibusters, and the
current one has recorded 118 filibusters through September. The only legislation that had wide-spread support from the Republicans in
US
2010-10-09 [url="http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2010/10/07/130406366/where-the-jobs-are-health-care-government?sc=fb&cc=fp"]We've
Congress was the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP).
EmploymentLost 8 Million Jobs. Here's A Closer Look. [/url] [IM1:1118]
Although the recession has ended, US employment still looks bleak. Job sectors such as the federal government and health care have gained,
but manufacturing and construction suffered huge losses that have not returned.
1053
US
Housing
Market
1054
US
Economy
2010-10-10 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704657304575540340176254622.html"]Certain US banks temporarily halt
foreclosures [/url] [IM1:1119]
A few US banks have halted foreclosures temporarily due to improper documentation. The banks claim that the flawed affidavits used in legal
proceedings are a result of administrative problems and can be fixed in a few weeks or months. But these problems could point to more
2010-10-12 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703298504575534210333046160.html"]Agricultural Sector Booms as
serious issues.
Economy Struggles [/url] [IM1:1121]
The prices of agricultural commodities are rising. In spite of harvests piling up, crop prices are increasing. The growing economies of Asia are
fueling this price rise as farm products are being exported.
"The farm economy is coming out of the recession far faster than the general economy," said Don Carson, senior analyst at Susquehanna
Financial Group, New York.
1055
According to USDA, farm exports climbed 11% to $107.5 billion during the fiscal year ended September 30. A 5% rise is predicted in the new
fiscal year.
Global
2010-10-13 [url="http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=11811312"]Strength in Emerging Economies Increases Trade Fears [/url]
Economies [IM1:1123]
1056
While cheaper-priced exports and artificially low currencies are allowing countries such as China and other emerging nations to help improve
the global economy, the growth comes at a cost to both the United States and Europe. China and other countries are projected to show
2010-10-13 [url="http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2010/10/politics_and_economy?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/bl/spendless"]When
growth, while the US and Europe are expected to remain weak.
you spend less, the economy contracts [/url] [IM1:1124]
1057
US
Economy
According to the International Monetary Fund, countries that are cutting back spending will see their GDP contract and unemployment rise in
the immediate to medium term. While the media argues the stimulus of 2009 did not raise employment or help the GDP, economists disagree
Technology 2010-10-13 [url="http://www.economist.com/node/17202417?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/ar/microsoftsmartphone"]Windows or curtains [/url] [IM1:1122]
with that assessment.
Microsoft recently unveiled Windows Phone 7 to compete with other companies such as HTC and Samsung. However, Microsoft is projected to
only capture a very small percentage of the market.
1058
Global
Economy
2010-10-14 [url="http://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook/2010/10/consumer-goods_companies_and_austerity_shoppers"] Consumers
make do with less [/url] [IM1:1125]
Basic consumer goods, which were thought to be recession-proof, are not so anymore. Shoppers are finding ways to spend less on
necessities like toilet paper and detergent and are making do without essentials such as air fresheners and hair conditioners.
1059
Staple branded products such as milk, baked beans and corn flakes are being traded for cheaper in-store products. This trend has been more
common among households with an annual income of $100,000 as people with a meagre income bought fewer branded products to begin
Technology 2010-10-15 [url="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20019293-93.html"]Bing-Yahoo set to shake up paid search, report says [/url] [IM1:1127]
with.
Bing's powering of Yahoo's search results could yield a profitable partnership for the both of them. While Google still dominates the market for
paid search results, early indications show the Bing-Yahoo partnership has brought in more revenue together than Yahoo did alone.
1060
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1062
1063
Commodities
2010-10-15 [url="http://www.economist.com/node/17272623?frsc=scn/fb/wl/ar/cornfed"]Corn fed [/url] [IM1:1128]
The US Department of Agriculture warned that corn production dropped in 2010 by 4%, causing prices to jump. As prices for other crops have
also increased, farmers are left unable to predict what crops may be most profitable for the following season, which may cause problems in
food supplies around the world.
Population 2010-10-15 [url="http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2010-10-13-hispanics-life-span_N.htm"]U.S. Hispanics outliving whites, blacks [/url]
[IM1:1126]
Global
Economy
First time research done by the National Center for Health Statistics show Hispanics in the US are outliving their Caucasian and black
counterparts. Researchers are unsure why this is so, considering Hispanics tend to be of lower socioeconomic status than Caucasians.
2010-10-16 [url="http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/10/16/number-of-the-week-slow-growth-adds-to-deficit/"] Sluggish growth adding to US
Factors considered include culture and lifestyle as well as migration.
government deficit [/url] [IM1:1130]
Human
Health
The IMF forecasts that the US government deficit will reach 122% of annual economic output, an increase of 93% from current levels, if the
economy grows at an annual rate of 1.7% (inflation adjusted rate). The US will either have to reduce spending or raise taxes to keep the deficit
2010-10-16 [url="http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/15/americans-need-a-pick-me-up/?ref=business"] Americans feeling low [/url]
in check.
[IM1:1129]
According to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, Americans??™ physical, emotional and financial well-being is currently at its lowest
level of 2010.
1064
US
Economy
2010-10-16 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704049904575554372238256744.html?mod=WSJ_article_MoreIn_US"]
Bank stocks take a beating due to mortgage crisis [/url] [IM1:1131]
The technical and legal challenges associated with record-keeping of mortgages have recently forced banks to temporarily suspend
foreclosures. Bank stocks have taken a beating for the very same reason.
Bank of America Corp and Wells Fargo & Co shares fell nearly 5%, J.P Morgan Chase and Co fell 4% and Citigroup fell nearly 3%.
1065
1066
1067
1068
Elections
2010-10-17 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304250404575558410217801040.html?mod=e2fb"] In Year's Tightest
Races, GOP Rakes In Cash [/url] [IM1:1133]
Although Democrats may boast higher levels of cash in the bank, Republicans have witnessed a shift in fundraising momentum in their favor.
In the third quarter of 2010, Republican candidates have raised $60 million, whereas their Democratic counterparts have raised a total of $45
Exchange 2010-10-17 [url="http://www.economist.com/node/17275912?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/dc/bigmac"] Bun fight [/url] [IM1:1132]
million.
Rates
Exchange rates cause the McDonald's Big Mac to cost $2.18 in China while they cost $3.71 in the United States. This makes the Chinese yuan
one of the most undervalued currencies on the Big Mac index, which is based on purchasing-power parity.
Technology 2010-10-18 [url="http://www.economist.com/node/17295600"] iPad price before sales tax varies significantly between countries [/url]
[IM1:1135]
The iPad is more expensive in Switzerland due to less competition between retailers but costs less in Hong Kong which is close to China
where it is assembled. The iPad may be cheaper in Mexico and China as people are poorer. People in Luxembourg get the best bargain when
Environment2010-10-18 [url="http://www.newsweek.com/feature/2010/green-rankings.html"] Green Rankings [/url] [IM1:1134]
taking into account the income.
Dell tops green rankings of the biggest 500 publicly traded companies in the US.
1069
Population 2010-10-19 [url="http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2010-10-12-oklahoma12_CV_N.htm?csp=obnetworkl"] More Californians reverse
course and head to Oklahoma [/url] [IM1:1137]
1070
US
Economy
1071
Global
Economy
1072
Human
Health
1073
1074
1075
Since 1999, Californians moving to Oklahoma outnumber those moving in the opposite direction. Oklahoma tied for the 10th lowest rate of
unemployment in the country at 7% in August of 2010.
2010-10-20
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304510704575562064131606580.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsFifth"]
Is Halloween ???the other Christmas????[/url] [IM1:1141]
This year, Halloween
2010-10-20
[url="http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2010/10/global_retail_theft"]
spending is expected to touch about $5.8bn. According to the National
Shoplifting
Retail Federation
cost retailers
andaround
market-research
the world $107.3
company
BIGresearch,
billion
this year[/url]
more than
[IM1:1140]
$18 is spent on decorations per adult in the US.
Shoplifting costs, though down by 5.6% compared to last year, comprise 1.36% of global retail sales. While shoplifting has been the greatest
expense to retailers
2010-10-21
[url="http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/10/living-near-fumes"]
in Europe, employee theft accounts for the greatest loss in theLiving
US. Near Fumes [/url] [IM1:1142]
Columbia University in New York released the results of a study that compared the birth weights of babies born to women who lived near toll
plazas before and after E-ZPass was introduced. The idea of E-ZPass was to reduce traffic congestion, and the results showed that it reduced
the incidence of low birthweights by half for women who lived within a few hundred yards of the toll plazas.
Technology 2010-10-21 [url="http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20020101-17.html?tag=cnetRiver"] 6.1 trillion text messages to be sent in 2010 [/url]
[IM1:1143]
According to the International Telecommunications Union, people will send 6.1 trillion text messages by the end of 2010. However, while 90
percent of the world's population have access to mobile phones, only 21 percent of people in developing countries have access to the internet.
Commodities
2010-10-21 [url="http://www.economist.com/node/17258866?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/ar/bulletbargains"] Of bribes, bullets and bargains [/url] [IM1:1144]
US
Economy
Despite fears of violence, lack of infrastructure and corruption, investors see the potential for growth in Iraq. Oil production, construction and
mobile phones are only a few examples of areas of potential growth. Investors are wary, however, of the difficulties in trying to get skilled
foreigners to go to Iraq to help advance various industries.
2010-10-22
[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704011904575538673194129834.html?mod=WSJ_hp_MIDDLETopStories#"]Silicon
Valley 3.0: Tech's New Wave[/url] [IM1:1146]
The start-up economy in Silicon Valley broadens beyond Information Technology to include Bioscience and Clean Technology.
"Whether these new industries will play a big role or a small role" in the overall economy remains to be seen, but "my belief is they will play a
pretty big role" says Bill Miller, Stanford University professor emeritus and former entrepreneur.
1076
Global
Economy
2010-10-22 [url="http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2010/10/chinas_economy"] Is China's growth slowing or accelerating?[/url]
[IM1:1145]
The Chinese economy has expanded by 9.6% in the third quarter of this year. This expansion is at a lesser rate than in the previous quarters.
1077
The Chinese government, for the first time in three years, has raised interest rates by 0.25% last week. The Chinese central bank has also
raised the reserve requirements of six banks. The central bank could be worried that China??™s economy is gaining momentum. This is
because the quarter-on-quarter growth during July to September this year was faster than the previous three months though the year-on-year
Education 2010-10-23 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703735804575536322093520994.html?mod=googlenews_wsj"]Putting a
GDP growth is slowing.
Price on Professors [/url] [IM1:1148]
1078
In September the chancellor of the Texas A&M University system released a 265 page report on the gain/loss for faculty members, accounting
for number of students taught, tuition received and research grants. Faculty members objected to what they felt was a simplified look at their
Commodities
2010-10-23 [url="http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5hP2ToraC8LWuhvQKpiVkjNothV0w?docId=4917611"]
jobs, while others praised the transparency of the system's finances.
Fired by NPR, Juan Williams begins bigger role at Fox, keeps up criticism of ex-employer[/url] [IM1:1149]
1079
Travel
Following the firing of Juan Williams from NPR over his controversial remarks about Muslims, conservative members of Congress have called
for the defunding of public broadcasting services. While independently owned and operated, NPR's radio stations receive government funding
2010-10-23 [url="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/10/does-public-transit-increase-gentrification.php"] Does New Public Transit Increase
through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Gentrification and Lower Ridership?[/url] [IM1:1147]
According to a report released by the Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University, new transit can lead to
gentrification.
1080
Human
Health
Findings included that 64 percent of the neighborhoods around the new rail stations grew faster. However, the study also found that rents also
grew more quickly, and the gentrification of a neighborhood actually led to lower-income residents moving out, allowing higher-income
2010-10-24 [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/25/us/25drugs.html?hp"] Employers find setting rules about prescription drug use at the
residents to move in. Those with more income tended to drive more, which eventually caused transit use to decline.
workplace tricky. [/url] [IM1:1150]
Click to enlarge image.
Companies are striving to maintain a safe workplace and are testing employees for drugs. This measure is breeding resentment among
employees, because in certain states, employees are losing their jobs for testing positive for legally prescribed drugs.
1081
1082
Technology 2010-10-25 [url="http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2010/10/wikileaks_and_iraq_war?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/dc/datadumping"] Data dumping.
[/url] [IM1:1153]
Housing
WikiLeaks has published almost 400,000 documents relating to the Iraq war. Although there is not a lot of information that is surprising, the
casualty count is likely underestimated by WikiLeaks.
2010-10-25 [url="http://www.economist.com/node/17308991?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/ar/hometruths"] Home truths. [/url] [IM1:1151]
Irregularities in foreclosures have caused prosecutors across the United States to begin investigations and various elected officials have called
for moratoriums to temporarily stop them. The results have not helped the housing market.
1083
US
Elections
2010-10-25 [url="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/10/its-not-the-economy-stupid/65000/"] It's Not the Economy, Stupid. [/url]
[IM1:1152]
While the upcoming November election has been touted as a referendum on the Obama administration's handling of the economy, it is
possible that changes in the structure of American economics and society are better predictors for elections.
1084
1085
US
Housing
Global
Economy
Analysis reveals insights on income and class. In 2008, higher income states went to Obama, while lower income states went to McCain.
Creative class states voted for Obama, while working class states voted for McCain.
2010-10-26 [url="http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/HagertyQuarterly.html"] Where Housing Is Headed [/url] [IM1:1155]
The supply of unsold homes has continued to increase in the third quarter of this year according to Wall Street Journal??™s quarterly survey
of 28 major metro areas. This has put downward pressure on housing prices in several housing markets. Given the current high unemployment
and the foreclosure crisis, the outlook for the housing industry is bleak.
2010-10-26 [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11625623"] War-hit countries ???most corrupt??™ [/url] [IM1:1154]
Transparency International, a non-governmental organization based in Berlin, published its annual report on global corruption. The current
report is based on a poll of businesses and people in 178 nations.
Somalia, followed by Burma, Afghanistan, and Iraq, were the most corrupt countries.
1086
1087
1088
Environment2010-10-27 [url="http://techcrunch.com/2010/10/27/electric-vehicles-jdpower-tesla/"] Don??™t Tell Tesla: In 2020, Sales Of Electric Vehicles
Will Be Less Than 8% Of The Global Market [/url] [IM1:1158]
According to a J.D. Power and Associates report, the market share for hybrid and battery cars will only total 7.3% of all international sales by
the year 2020. One of the main reasons why consumers are reluctant to purchase the cars is price. Other concerns include uncertainty about
Technology 2010-10-27 [url="http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2010/10/domain-name_prices?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/dc/domainnames"] Sex.sells [/url]
the technology, length of battery life and unhappiness with the car's performance.
[IM1:1157]
Global
Economies
The domain "sex.com" is projected to cost a record $13m after a bankruptcy court meets for a decision. Many big name domain sales are not
made public and may account for the largest share of the market for domain names.
2010-10-27 [url="http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2009/nov/25/gdp-uk-1948-growth-economy"] UK GDP since 1948 [/url] [IM1:1156]
In Q3 of 2010, the UK's GDP increased by 0.8%. While lower than the previous quarter, it is still more than the 0.4% growth from Q1 of 2010.
1089
US
Economy
2010-10-28 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303738504575568812369392150.html"] Many Silicon Valley Venture
Capital Firms anxiously await the vote on Proposition 23 [/url] [IM1:1159]
A law passed in 2006 requires substantial cuts in California??™s greenhouse emissions by 2020. The passage of Proposition 23 could
suspend this 2006 measure until California??™s unemployment rate drops considerably.
1090
This issue is a cause of concern as venture capital investments in clean-technology in California have slowed from their peak. Meanwhile, the
venture capital investments in clean-technology have increased elsewhere, especially in Asia.
Technology 2010-10-29 [url="http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/10/chart-day-texting"] Chart of the Day: Texting [/url] [IM1:1161]
An analysis by the Nielsen Company shows no age group texts more than teenagers in the United States for the Q2 of 2010. Teenage males
also text more than other male age groups, with an average average of 2,539 texts sent and received.
1091
1092
1093
1094
1095
US
Economy
2010-10-29 [url="http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/11/dinesh-dsouza-income-inequality"] Are the Tea Partiers Being Taken for a Ride?
[/url] [IM1:1160]
The bottom 80 percent of American households, have not gained economically in the last three decades. Instead, the only ones who have
seen an increase in their pre-tax income are those who are in the top 1 percent of American households
Technology 2010-10-29 [url="http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/microsoft-vs-apple-whos-winning-the-numbers-dont-lie/2504"] Microsoft vs. Apple: Who's
winning? The numbers don't lie [/url] [IM1:1162]
In the "Microsoft vs. Apple" discussions, there is little evidence that Windows is being abandoned in significant numbers. Apple continues to
gain market share due to its iOS-based devices, which gained popularity due to problems with Windows Vista.
Environment2010-10-31 [url="http://people-press.org/report/669/"] Little Change in Opinions about Global Warming [/url] [IM1:1163]
Global
Economies
Human
Health
The Pew Research Center has found that attitudes regarding global warming have undergone little change in the past year, although their
views on other environmental issues have changed. Support for offshore drilling has increased at 51% in October 2010, whereas only 44%
supported in June.
2010-10-31 [url="http://www.economist.com/node/17363625"] The indispensable economy? [/url] [IM1:1164]
China's economy has great global impact, as seen by accounting for consumption of 46% of the world's supply of coal, as well as purchasing
twice as many cars as America in 2009. However, its share of parts and components it imports has fallen from almost 40% ten years ago to
27% in 2008. While China's economy has displayed its ability to grow while America's has shrunk, it does not mean China's economy would
2010-11-02 [url="http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/10/americas-awful-healthcare"] America's Awful Healthcare [/url] [IM1:1165]
serve as a substitute for America's.
Despite the United States spending more money than any other country on health care, analysis shows that by almost any measuring metric
the US does not compare well with other countries.
1096
Technology 2010-11-02 [url="http://techcrunch.com/2010/11/01/twice-androids-iphones-shipped/"] Reports: Nearly Twice As Many Androids Shipped Last
Quarter As iPhones [/url] [IM1:1166]
1097
Retail
For the third quarter of 2010, UK-based market research firm Canalys estimates that US shipments of the Android is twice the number of
iPhones. An estimated 9.1 million of the shipped smartphones run the Android OS versus the 5.5 million Apple phones.
2010-11-02 [url="http://techcrunch.com/2010/11/02/times-paywall-4-million-readers/"]The Times UK Lost 4 Million Readers To Its Paywall
Experiment [/url] [IM1:1169]
After The Times UK newspaper installed a paywall on its website, unique visitors to the site fell by 4 million per month, or a 62 percent drop.
While The Times seems to believe it can get more revenue by charging subscriptions for site access, other news sites may consider raising
their advertising rates.
1098
Global
2010-11-02 [url="http://www.economist.com/node/17363425?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/ar/marketmaters"] Marketmaters [/url] [IM1:1168]
Economies
On October 25th, the Singapore Exchange agreed to take over the Australian Securities Exchange. The deal must go through Singapore's
minority government and it has been predicted that there will be difficulties getting approval.
1099
Immigration2010-11-02 [url="http://www.economist.com/node/17366155?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/ar/greencardblues"] Green-card blues [/url] [IM1:1167]
Employment-based green cards and H-1B visas fell to the lowest point in years in 2009 due to political gridlock, increased restrictions and bad
economic conditions. Current American immigration policies favor reuniting families versus helping skilled workers.
1100
US
Economy
2010-11-03 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703506904575592471354774194.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_NGreen-card
blues ews_3"]Fed Fires $600 Billion Stimulus Shot [/url] [IM1:1170]
Click to enlarge image.
The Federal Reserve will make new purchases of $75 billion a month in Treasury Debt over the next eight months. This is in addition to the
$35 billion a month the Fed is expected to spend in order to replace mortgage bonds in its portfolio that will retire.
The Fed hopes that these measures will drive down interest rates and encourage growth.
1101
Global
2010-11-03 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704462704575589871130342754.html"]
Economies In Australia, Signs of Overheating in the Housing Market [/url] [IM1:1171]
The Australian housing market is witnessing strong demand. Foreign as well as domestic factors are responsible for this strong demand.
"Compared with the U.S., our market has not been hit by an atomic bomb," said Brian White, chairman of Ray White, which last year sold A$23
billion of property in Australia.
The government is putting in place tightening measures to cool an overheating in the foreign real-estate investment. But Mr. White dismisses
fears that the Australian housing market boom is heading towards a crash.
1102
1103
1104
1105
1106
Technology 2010-11-04 [url="http://techcrunch.com/2010/11/03/state-blogosphere-2010-slides/"] 2010 State Of The Blogosphere: Facebook And Twitter
Drive The Most Traffic (Slides) [/url] [IM1:1173]
While there are many types of social media on the internet, Facebook and Twitter drive most of the traffic. More bloggers are corporate entities
or self-employed individuals, but most blog users are hobbyists.
Technology 2010-11-04 [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11693214?OCID=fbwin"] Burma hit by massive net attack ahead of election [/url]
[IM1:1172]
Human
Health
Elections
US
Economy
An ongoing computer attack that started in late October has blocked Burma from accessing the internet. The disruption comes before the
country's first election in 20 years.
2010-11-04 [url="http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2010/11/drugs_cause_most_harm?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/dc/scoringdrugs"] Scoring drugs
[/url] [IM1:1174]
A new study that asked drug-harm experts to rank drugs for their levels of harmfulness found alcohol at the top of the list. The experts were
surveyed on drugs that were both illegal and legal
2010-11-04 [url="http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2010-11-03-house-wrap_N.htm"] Solution-driven voters 'upset the apple cart' in House
[/url] [IM1:1175]
Two years after voters gave control of Congress to the Democrats, they returned the House of Representatives to the Republicans. Experts
cited voter unhappiness with the progress of elected officials for the reasons why the change of party control.
2010-11-05 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704405704575596632929737388.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5"]
Congress Has Active Investors [/url] [IM1:1177]
About 2% of the total number of legislators and congressional aides, which amounts to 86 people, conducted an average of 170 security trades
last year. About half of them reported 100 trades or more.
An active investor, according to brokerage firms like Fidelity Investments and Charles Schwab, is someone who trades on an average of at
least 36 times each year.
1107
Human
Health
2010-11-05 [url="http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2010/11/human_development_index"] Human Development Index [/url]
[IM1:1176]
According to the UN??™s annual Human Development Index (HDI), Nepal has made the greatest progress in human development since 1980.
Many other Asian countries have also witnessed improvement. African nations witnessed the least improvement with Zimbabwe at the bottom
of the pile.
1108
Business
This HDI comprises three sub-indices which cover health, wealth and education.
2010-11-06 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703817604575584764128883620.html"] Bosses Overestimate Their
Managing Skills [/url] [IM1:1178]
A survey of managers suggest new managers may over-estimate their abilities. Managers were also unlikely to doubt their own abilities in
areas such as leadership and communication.
1109
Elections
Companies compared the results to real-world business simulations and found managers would consistently over-estimated their abilities to
delegate and coach employees.
2010-11-06
[url="http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2010/11/05/tea_party_success_could_hurt_romney/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Top+political+stories"]
Tea Party success could hurt Romney [/url] [IM1:1179]
The rise of America's Tea Party could mean trouble for Mitt Romney, widely considered a front-runner for the Republican nomination for
President in 2012. Members of the Tea Party regard Romney with suspicion, citing his involvement with the health care plan in Massachusetts.
1110
1111
1112
Global
Economy
However, the ability of the Tea Party to influence the Republican presidential nomination is unclear. Other potential candidates include Mitch
2010-11-07
Daniels of Indiana, Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, and Haley Barbour of Mississippi.
[url="http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/11/06/number-of-the-week-102-trillion-in-global-borrowing/?mod=rss_WSJBlog&mod=marketbeat"]
Advanced-nation governments will need to borrow $10.2 trillion in 2011[/url] [IM1:1180]
According to the International Monetary Fund, in 2011, fifteen developed-nation governments, including US, Japan, the U.K, Spain and
Technology 2010-11-08 [url="http://techcrunch.com/2010/11/08/comscore-facebook-now-accounts-for-nearly-1-in-4-display-ads-in-the-u-s/"] comScore:
Greece, will require about $10.2 trillion to repay maturing bonds and finance their budget deficits. This comprises 27% of their combined
Facebook Now Accounts For Nearly 1 In 4 Display Ads In The U.S. [/url] [IM1:1182]
annual economic output. It is obvious that there is increasing financial trouble as debt levels of these advanced nations are at their highest
levels since World War II.
According to the online audience measurement company comScore, Facebook leads with 297 billion display ad impressions, generating nearly
$2 billion in ad revenue. This represents 23.1 percent in the market share.
Technology 2010-11-08 [url="http://techcrunch.com/2010/11/08/follow-the-leader/?ref=nf"] The 30 Startups People Care About The Most [/url] [IM1:1184]
Unsurprisingly, Facebook and Twitter are listed as among the start-ups people want to know most about. Other popular start-ups include
Groupon and RockMelt.
1113
Education 2010-11-08
[url="http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2010/11/08/college_leaders_work_to_increase_interest_in_humanities/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Front+Page&camp=misc:on:dlvritglobe"]
Colleges aim to revive the humanities [/url] [IM1:1181]
Many well-known universities such as Cornell, Dartmouth, and Harvard are all increasing the focus on the humanities. The number of students
who graduate with humanities majors have dropped dramatically throughout the years, with more students focusing in areas such as business.
1114
1115
1116
While schools are trying to increase funding for the humanities, they encounter other problems such as low turnover for faculty due to hiring
Environment2010-11-08
freezes and budget cuts.
[url="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2010/11/whos-killing-green-energy-the-recession-the-government-the-dollar/66247/"] Who's
Killing Green Energy? The Recession, the Government, the Dollar [/url] [IM1:1183]
Human
Health
The market for green energy in the United States has been weakened by a strong dollar. The strength of the American currency makes
2010-11-09 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703957804575602822217085074.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5"]
importing fossil fuels and utilities cheap. This has caused the US to fall behind Europe and China in wind energy production.
Anti-Smoking Programs Are Slashed[/url] [IM1:1185]
America??™s progress towards getting adult smokers to quit comes to a standstill. Many US states, which are short of cash, cut back on
budgets allocated towards tobacco-prevention programs. The states??™ combined funding towards smoking prevention is at its lowest level
Technology 2010-11-09 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704506404575592420335177184.html?mod=WSJ_Tech_LEFTTopNews"]
since 1999.
Google Vies for Shoppers[/url] [IM1:1186]
Google is upgrading its shopping site by adding features to Google Product Search, a separate service for shoppers. This will make it easier to
look for soft goods like clothes.
1117
Energy-Oil 2010-11-10 [url="http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/11/chart-day-peak-oil"] Chart of the Day: Peak Oil [/url] [IM1:1189]
According to the 2010 International Energy Agency World Energy Outlook, peak or conventional oil production is in decline.
1118
1119
US
2010-11-10 [url="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101105/ap_on_bi_go_ec_fi/us_economy"] Hiring spurt in October eases jobs crisis a bit[/url]
Employment[DG:248]
According to the Labor Department??™s report, the American economy added 151,000 jobs in October. This is after factoring in the 8,000
government job cuts. Still, hiring is weak and the unemployment rate remains at 9.6%.
Global
2010-11-10 [url="http://today.yougov.co.uk/politics/breaking-%E2%80%98culture-dependency%E2%80%99"] Breaking the ???culture of
Economies dependency??™? [/url] [IM1:1190]
According to a poll by YouGov, the British government's plan to compel those who have been unemployed for a long time to work has received
high support from the British public. The plan includes those who have been out of work for a certain amount of time to participate in work
placements lasting four weeks, for 30 hours per week.
1120
1121
The plan has been opposed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, who said he felt the plan who punish people unfairly.
Exchange 2010-11-10
Rates
[url="http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2010/11/economists_real_yuan-dollar_exchange_rate?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/bl/juanmore"] Just yuan
more [/url] [IM1:1192]
Although goods from China may be somewhat under-valued, Chinese prices have risen much faster than their American counterparts in the
Global
2010-11-10 [url="http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2010/11/trade?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/bl/americantea"] Buy American tea [/url]
last few years. This has caused the exchange rate to have a large adjustment.
Economies [IM1:1188]
Difficult economic times have caused Americans to have an increasingly negative view on trade. Americans remain more positive in trading
with Canada and Mexico, but view trading with China negatively.
1122
1123
Human
Health
When broken down by political party, Democrats are more likely to view free trade agreements more positively than independents, who in turn
view them more positively than Republicans. Those who identify as Tea Party members tend to view them least favorably.
2010-11-10 [url="http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/health/medical/mentalhealth/2010-11-09-apastress09_VA1_N.htm"] Money is big issue in
stress survey [/url] [IM1:1191]
US
Economy
A survey shows top issues that were cited as sources of stress in 2010 included money, work and the economy. Responders to the survey said
they skipped meals, lay awake at night and overate and/or ate unhealthy foods.
2010-11-11 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703805004575606643067587042.html"] Deficit Panel's Leaders Push Cuts
[/url] [IM1:1193]
1124
A proposal to lower the federal budget deficit has been put forth by leaders of a White House Commission. This proposal targets US tax and
spending policy, such as Social Security benefits, middle-class tax breaks and defense spending.
Education 2010-11-12 [url="http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/11/our-kids-learning?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter"] Is Our Kids
Learning? [/url] [IM1:1196]
1125
Only 6 percent of U.S. students perform at an advanced level in math, which is well behind children in 30 other countries including Taiwan and
the United Kingdom. If each individual state is considered for the list, Massachusetts ranks the highest at number 17.
Global
2010-11-12 [url="http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2010/11/foreign_direct_investment?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/dc/comethdragon"] Cometh the
Economies dragon [/url] [IM1:1197]
1126
1127
China's level of Foreign Direct Investment in 2009 was at 6 percent, up from 1 percent in 1991. FDI is considered an indicator of economic
clout, with Britain dominating the mid-19th century and the United States for part of the 20th.
Commodities
2010-11-12 [url="http://www.economist.com/node/17463453?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/ar/commodityspeculators"] Know your onions [/url] [IM1:1198]
Human
Health
Commodity speculators are blamed by buyers, NGOs and politicians for the increase in prices for oil, wheat, corn and other goods. Despite
their scapegoating, the changes in prices have to do with the laws of supply and demand as well as other factors including disrupted
production and and difficult markets.
2010-11-12 [url="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/nov/10/uk-tops-cocaine-abuse-league-table"] UK tops European cocaine league table
[/url] [IM1:1195]
Cocaine use in the United Kingdom amongst young adults ages 15-34 surpasses other countries in the European Union and the United States.
Both Britain and Spain have been listed near the top in the six of the past seven years.
1128
Education 2010-11-12 [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/10/education/10kaplan.html?_r=1&src=twrhp&pagewanted=all"] Scrutiny Takes Toll on
For-Profit College Company [/url] [IM1:1194]
When Kaplan was purchased by the Washington Post Company in 1984, it was still primarily a test-prep company. Kaplan then moved to
purchase 75 small colleges and starting the huge online Kaplan University. The revenue generated from the for-profit education division
exceeds both the test-prep portion as well as rest of the Washington Post Company's operations.
1129
Recently, Kaplan and other for-profit education companies have come under increased examination by Congress. Concerns include students
Energy-Oil 2010-11-13 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704865704575610734039395358.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5"] New
being left with too much debt and a lack of credentials to find jobs.The Department of Education has proposed eliminating federal funding to
Oil Patches Sprout Across Nation[/url] [IM1:1199]
programs with high debt-to-income ratios and low repayment rates.
North Dakota, Colorado and the south and west of Texas are seeing a surge in onshore oil exploration. Due to high oil prices and thanks to
new technology, it is now possible to extract oil from dense rocks below these regions.
In the past year, Texas has seen the greatest increase in rigs.
1130
1131
1132
1133
Education 2010-11-14 [url="http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/08/college-sticker-prices-rising-but-so-does-financial-aid/?src=busln"] College
Sticker Prices Rising, but So Is Financial Aid [/url] [IM1:1200]
While college tuition has been on the rise, so has financial aid. Public four-year schools have raised their tuition the most versus private
four-year schools and public two-year schools.
Technology 2010-11-14 [url="http://www.businessinsider.com/aol-just-announced-updates-to-aol-mail-2010-11"] AOL Just Announced Updates To AOL
Mail [/url] [IM1:1201]
US
Economy
AOL Mail has announced updates to its site. The e-mail provider lags behind many other sites, such as Gmail and Yahoo! Mail. Analysts note
AOL Mail may have made the announcement to beat Facebook's rumored roll-out of an e-mail service on its own site.
2010-11-15
[url="http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/11/13/number-of-the-week-more-entrepreneurs-fewer-jobs/?mod=rss_WSJBlog&mod=WSJ_EC_RT_Blog"]
More Entrepreneurs, Fewer Jobs[/url] [IM1:1202]
According to Robert Fairlie, an economist at the University of California, Santa Cruz, 340 out of every 100,000 adults start a new business
Education 2010-11-17 [url="http://chronicle.com/article/A-Public-University-Joins-the/125207/?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en"] A Public
each month. This is a 11% increase from 2007 and greater than the average of 290 over the last ten years leading to the recession.
University Joins the Expanding 50K Club of College Prices[/url] [IM1:1203]
According to data released by the College Board, 100 institutions' out-of-state charges for tuition, fees, and room and board in 2010-11
amounted to $50,000 or more. 99 of these institutions are private colleges. The University of California at Berkeley, a public university, has
joined the club this year.
During 2009-10, there were only 58 such institutions.
The adjoining table has a partial list of these institutions.
1134
1135
US
Economy
2010-11-17 [url="http://www.clevelandfed.org/research/data/inflation_expectations/index.cfm"] Cleveland Fed's Estimates of Inflation
Expectations [/url] [IM1:1204]
US
Economy
The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland's latest estimate is that the public expects the inflation rate to be below two percent on average over
the next ten years.
2010-11-17 [url="http://www.data360.org/adm_ds_report.aspx?Data_Set_Id=57"] Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items
[/url]
[DG:2172]
The Consumer Price Index continues to rise.
1136
US
Economy
2010-11-17 [url="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=27"] Consumer Price Index-Monthly: [/url] [DG:48]
According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index is rising with the recovering economy.
1137
US
Economy
2010-11-17 [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=82"] Housing Starts [/url] [DG:47]
Despite a few month-on-month increases, the number of housing starts in the US has continued to follow a declining trend in 2010.
1138
Education 2010-11-22 [url="http://www.arightdenied.org/presentation-slides/"] College Completion Rate in the United States [/url] [IM1:1206]
"Like us, Israel's future is threatened by a poor-and-getting-worse public school system, which was a shock to me because if there's one thing
that's defined Jews for 4,000+ years, it's an overwhelming focus on education. But check out page 27 of my school reform presentation
(posted at www.arightdenied.org/presentation-slides). Israel is the ONLY developed country in which FEWER young people get a college
degree today than 30 years ago:
1139
US
Economy
Why is this happening? Mostly the same reasons as here: teachers are unionized and it's nearly impossible to fire a bad one, new teachers
2010-11-23 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704865704575610452319977706.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_5"] The
are mostly drawn from the bottom tier of college graduates, and there are big achievement gaps between Israeli Arabs and certain Jewish
Just-in-Time Consumer [/url] [IM1:1208]
immigrants (like Ethiopians). One big difference: teachers are VERY poorly paid - about 4,000 shekels/month ($1,100) vs. an average income
of twice that." Whitney Tilson
The recent recession has changed the way consumers shop. Today??™s customers buy just-in-time, stocking less, buying more frequently
and accumulating cash-on-hand.
From ???The Wall Street Journal??? ??“ Reported by Disha Bheda.
1140
World
2010-11-23 [url="http://today.yougov.co.uk/consumer/%E2%80%98tis-season-be-frugal"] ???Tis the season to be frugal [/url] [IM1:1209]
Economies
A survey by YouGov SixthSense reveals that consumer spending habits for December 2010 will likely be more frugal. The results show 1 in 4
people surveyed plan to spend less this year as opposed to 2009.
Respondents were asked to compare themselves from September to October of this year. 37% of those surveyed said they were worse off
while 6% said they were better off.
From YouGov ??“ Reported by Christina Wu
1141
Energy-Oil 2010-11-23 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2175"] Weekly Retail Gasoline and Diesel Prices [/url] [DG:2175]
After peaking in 2008, gasoline prices in the United States have been steadily rising since early 2009. Gas prices are expected to continue
going up with holiday travel and by a weaker US dollar.
While analysts blame refinery shutdowns in the US and France for the rising gas costs, they also note that prices will stop or fall at the
beginning of 2011. High gas prices may causes consumers to spend more at the gas pumps and less for the holidays, hindering economic
recovery.
From the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank and ???The Wall Street Journal??? ??“ Reported by Christina Wu
1142
US
2010-11-23 [url="http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2010/12/03/131779046/we-lost-8-million-jobs-only-1-million-came-back?sc=fb&cc=fp"] We
EmoloymentLost 8 Million Jobs. Only 1 Million Came Back. [/url] [IM1:1212]
After 9 million jobs disappeared by December 2009, jobs have slowly been returning. Industries that have been hardest hit and have seen little
return include manufacturing, construction and retail.
One industry that has seen growth is health care. Factors that help the industry includes funding that comes from the government and an
increasingly aging population means more people will need health care in the future.
- From National Public Radio reported by Christina Wu
1143
World
2010-11-23 [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/21/world/europe/21irish.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=immigration%20suzanne%20daley&st=cse"]
Economies The Hunt for Jobs Sends the Irish Abroad, Again [/url] [IM1:1207]
In 2009, Ireland's economy shrank 7.1% and recession looms over the country.
This year, immigrants are heading back to their homeland. The Irish themselves are heading to Australia, which is witnessing a mining boom,
Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Britain and the Middle East or Asia.
This is contrary to 2006 when the Irish economy boomed and a large number of immigrants poured into Ireland.
From ???The New York Times??? ??“ Reported by Disha Bheda.
1144
US
Housing
Market
2010-11-27 [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2010/11/galleries-europe-and-more.html"] MBA National Delinquency Survey:
Delinquency rate declines in Q3 [/url] [IM1:1210]
According to the Mortgage Bankers Association??™s National Delinquency Survey, 13.52% of mortgage loans were either one payment
delinquent or in the foreclosure process in Q3 of this year.
This is compared to 14.42% in Q2 of this year.
The seriously delinquent categories (90+ days or in foreclosure process) contributed the most to the decline in the overall delinquency rate.
This decline is due to the fact that lenders have been aggressive in the third quarter in foreclosing and also due to a surge in real estate owned
inventory.
The adjoining graph shows the percent of loans delinquent by days past due.
From ???www.calculatedriskblog.com??? ??“ Reported by Disha Bheda.
1145
US
Housing
Market
1146
US
Economy
1147
US
Economy
2010-11-30 [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=110"]S&P / Case Shiller Home Price Indices: [/url] The U.S.
National Home Price Index declined by 2% in September 2010 compared with one year prior. The 10-city and 20-city composite indices both
showed gains compared with one year prior, however the gains in these indices have slowed as of Q3 2010 compared with Q2 2010.
From Case Shiller Home Price Indices - Reported by Jamie Anderson
[DG:2181]
2010-12-01 [url="http://www.ism.ws/ISMReport/MfgROB.cfm?navItemNumber=12942"] November 2010 Manufacturing ISM Report On
Business [/url] Manufacturing grew in November with a PMI of 56.6. A PMI of above 50 indicates that manufacturing is growing and a PMI
below 50 indicates that manufacturing is contracting.
From ISM Report - Reported by Jamie Anderson
[DG:2183]
2010-12-03
[url="http://www.data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?tblData_Graph_ListDir=Asc&tblData_Set_Group_MemberDir=Asc&Data_Set_Group_Id=2186"]
ISM Nonmanufacturing: Business Activity Index [/url]
For the 11th consecutive month the non-manufacturing sector saw growth. For November, the Non-Manufacturing Index measured at 55%, in
comparison to October's 54.3 percent.
1148
1149
Ten non-manufacturing industries reported growth during November. Analysts said that while this reflects a cautious optimism among
industries and companies, there is still uncertainty about the direction of the economy. - From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Bloomberg,
US
reported by Christina
2010-12-03
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"]US
Wu
Employment Overview[/url] The unemployment rate rose
Economy in
[DG:2186]
November to 9.8% from 9.6% in October. - Reported by Jamie Anderson
[DG:248]
US
2010-12-06
Employment[url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/04/business/economy/04jobs.html?sq=Motoko%20rich&st=cse&scp=5&pagewanted=all#tab=0"]Few
New Jobs as Jobless Rate Rises to 9.8%[/url] [IM1:1211]
Unemployment rate rises to 9.8% with some people predicting that it will reach 10% in the beginning of next year. Only 39,000 jobs were
added in November of this year compared to 172,000 added in October.
Local governments are shedding jobs. The additions made by the private sector are too small to keep pace with unemployment as more and
more people enter the workforce.
According to Data 360, what is more concerning is that the non-farm payroll as a percentage of the US population has been declining and is
approaching 40%. This is near where the US economy was in the late 70s.
For a more detailed story, check out page 2 of Data 360s report: [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"]US
Employment Overview: Nonfarm Payroll[/url]
- From the New York Times and Data 360, Reported by Disha Bheda
1150
US
2010-12-07 [url="http://www.data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2187"]
EmploymentFrancisco-Oakland-Fremont [/url] [DG:2187]
Unemployment Rate in San
For September 2010 the unemployment rate of the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont area measured at 10.5 percent. This represents a small
drop from the 10.6 percent in August.
The unemployment rate for this area has been above 10 percent since June 2009.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Christina Wu
1151
US
2010-12-07 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2188"]
Employment[DG:2188]
Civilian Labor Force in San Francisco County/City, CA [/url]
For September 2010, the civilian labor force in the City and County of San Francisco totaled at 456,307. This represents a drop from the total
of 456,647 in August.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Christina Wu
1152
US
2010-12-08 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2194"] Unemployment Rate in San Francisco County/City, CA [/url]
Employment[DG:2194]
In October 2010 the unemployment rate in the San Francisco City and County was at 9.3 percent. This represents a slight drop from the 9.6
percent rate in September.
Currently, the highest unemployment rates in San Francisco City and County for 2010 was in January at 10.4 percent and March at 10.3
percent.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Christina Wu
1153
US
2010-12-08 [url="http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2010/12/03/131779046/we-lost-8-million-jobs-only-1-million-came-back?sc=fb&cc=fp"] We
EmploymentLost 8 Million Jobs. Only 1 Million Came Back. [/url] [IM1:1212]
After 9 million jobs disappeared by December 2009, jobs have slowly been returning. Industries that have been hardest hit and have seen little
return include manufacturing, construction and retail.
One industry that has seen growth is health care. Factors that help the industry includes funding that comes from the government and an
increasingly aging population means more people will need health care in the future.
- From National Public Radio reported by Christina Wu
1154
US Trade 2010-12-10 [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2010/12/trade-deficit-decreases-in-october.html"] Trade Deficit decreases in October [/url]
Balance
[IM1:1214]
In October 2010, exports were $4.9 billion more than in September and have reached the highest levels since August of 2008. The total for
October exports amounted to $158.7 billion, with imports totaling $197.4 billion.
This resulted in a deficit of goods and services totaling at $38.7 billion, which is an decrease from the total of $44.6 billion in September 2010.
1155
US
Economy
2010-12-10 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2212"] US Exports (End Use): All commodities [/url] [DG:2212]
In November of 2010, the index of all US exports measured at 126.6. This represents an increase from October's 124.7 index.
The export index has consistently increased since February 2010.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Christina Wu
1156
US
Economy
2010-12-10 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2213"] U.S. Imports from China, Mainland, Customs Basis [/url]
[DG:2213]
In October 2010, US total for imports from China amounted to $34,820 million.This represented a slight drop of September's total of $34,999
million.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Christina Wu
1157
US
Economy
2010-12-10 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2214"] Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items
Less Food & Energy [/url] [DG:2214]
The consumer price index for all consumers minus food and energy measured at 221.765 for October 2010. This represented a slight drop
from September's total of 221.781.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Christina Wu
1158
Commodities
2010-12-10 [url="http://www.economist.com/node/17680899?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/ar/ftasouthkora"] Where's the beef? [/url] [IM1:1213]
On December 3rd, 2010, South Korea agreed to change its free-trade agreement with America. These included removing American tariffs on
South Korean cars and trucks. In return, South Korea received an extension on import tariffs on American pork.
The agreement with the Americans, along with a trade arrangement with the European Union, potentially opens two of the world's largest
markets to South Korea.
- From The Economist, reported by Christina Wu
1159
Technology 2010-12-11 [url="http://techcrunch.com/2010/12/10/world-map-of-social-networks-shows-facebooks-ever-increasing-dominance/"] World Map
Of Social Networks Shows Facebook's Ever-Increasing Dominance [/url] [IM1:1215]
Facebook has increased its market share to become the major social media network worldwide. It has recently overtaken other online
networking sites in Europe.
The site is now the predominant social networking site in 115 out of 132 countries.
- From TechCrunch, reported by Christina Wu
1160
US
2010-12-12 [url="http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/12/11/number-of-the-week-16-million-put-off-retirement/"]1.6 million Older Americans in
Employmentlabor force due to financial crisis [/url] [IM1:1216]
Eric French and David Benson, economists at the Chicago Fed, estimate that the labor-participation rate is 2.9 % higher among people aged
51-65.
Many people approaching retirement age are finding that their stock holdings are worth less than in 2006. Older Americans???„? home prices
are depressed and their fixed-income investments hardly generate any income. Hence, they are putting off retirement.
The unemployment rate among people aged 55 years or more has averaged 7.3% since August. This rate is at its highest level since 1948.
Older Americans are in a tough situation as they try to save towards retirement.
- From the Wall Street Journal, Reported by Disha Bheda
1161
Global
2010-12-13
Economies [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703380104576015824083855578.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTWhatsNewsCollection"]Offshore
Trading in Yuan Takes Off [/url] [IM1:1217]
In the past few months, China's currency, The Yuan, has been in high demand in global foreign-exchange markets. The trading of the Yuan
has gone up from zero to $400 million. This is because the government has, for the first time, permitted the Yuan to be bought and sold outside
mainland China.
- From the Wall Street Journal, Reported by Disha Bheda
1162
US
Economy
2010-12-14 [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2010/12/retail-sales-increase-08-in-november.html"] Retail Sales increase 0.8% in
November [/url] [IM1:1218]
This adjoining graph illustrates monthly retail sales, seasonally adjusted (total and ex-gasoline), since 1992. It can be seen that retail sales are
up 12.8% from the bottom. From the pre-recession peak, they are only off by 0.3%
- From CalculatedRiskBlog, reported by Disha Bheda
1163
US
Economy
2010-12-14 [url="http://www.data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2225"] Real Gross Domestic Product at $13,278.5 billion
[/url] [DG:2225]
According to Investopedia, Real GDP is An inflation-adjusted measure that reflects the value of all goods and services produced in a given
year, expressed in base-year prices. Often referred to as "constant-price", "inflation-corrected" GDP or "constant dollar GDP".
As per the data released today, the real GDP, after a dip, is increasing and is at $13,278.5 billion as of 2010-07-01.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1164
US
Economy
2010-12-14 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2218"] Inventory to Sales Ratio: Total Business [/url] [DG:2218]
In October 2010, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve, the total US Business Inventory amounted to $1417.75 billion.The total business
inventories have been increasing since Mar 2009.
In the adjoining graph, we have the Inventory to Sales Ratio of the Total Business. We see that this ratio is 1.27 as of Oct 1, 2010.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1165
US
Economy
2010-12-14 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2219"] Retail and Food Services Sales [/url] [DG:2219]
As of Nov 1st, 2010, the value of retail and food services sales was $378,706 million.
We see from the graph that retail and food services sales have been increasing gradually since the end of 2008.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1166
US
Economy
2010-12-14 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2221"] The Producer Price Index - All Commodities [/url] [DG:2221]
As per the Producer Price Index (PPI) data released today, the index took on a value of 188 on Nov 1, 2010. According to The Bureau of Labor
Statistics, PPI 'measures the average change over time in the selling prices received by domestic producers for their output.'
We see a rise in The PPI from the middle of 2009. This indicates that the selling price of most commodities has been on the rise since the
middle of 2009.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1167
US
Economy
2010-12-15 [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2010/12/industrial-production-capacity.html"] Industrial Production, Capacity Utilization
increase in November [/url] [IM1:1220]
The adjoining graph depicts the industrial production levels. It can be seen that in November, Industrial Production has increased. But it is still
below the pre-recession levels seen at the end of 2007.
Capacity utilization is at 75.2% in November 2010, well below normal levels though it has increased since the middle of 2009.
- From CalculatedRiskBlog, reported by Disha Bheda
1168
US
Housing
Market
2010-12-15 [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2010/12/nahb-builder-confidence-flat-in.html"] NAHB Builder Confidence Flat in December
[/url] [IM1:1219]
The National Association of Home Builder's (NAHB) housing market index (HMI) for December remained at 16. This is an indication that more
builders view sales conditions as poor than good.
The HMI is a 'weighted, seasonally adjusted statistic derived from ratings for present single-family sales, single-family sales in the next six
months and buyers traffic.'
According to the NAHB press release, 'Two out of three components of December's HMI remained unchanged from the previous month,
including the component gauging current sales conditions (which remained at 16) and the component gauging sales expectations in the next
six months (which was flat at 25). The component gauging traffic of prospective buyers fell a single point, to 11'.
1169
US
Economy
- From CalculatedRiskBlog, reported by Disha Bheda
2010-12-15 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2217"] The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers - All Items
[/url] [DG:2217]
In the BLS release today, the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers increased from 218.9 in October to 219.1 in November.
Inflation, defined as the year-on-year change in monthly CPI, is now trending at an annual rate of 1.05%.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1170
US
Economy
2010-12-16 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2223"] Current Account Balance [/url] [DG:2223]
Investopedia defines Current Account as 'the difference between a nation's total exports of goods, services and transfers, and its total imports
of them.'
The graph depicts the Current Account Balance of the US. The data for the third quarter of 2010 has been released today and stands at
$-127.227 billion. This indicates how much debt the US owes the rest of the world. The Current Account deficit has been increasing from the
third quarter of 2009.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1171
US
Housing
Market
2010-12-16 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=47"] Economy may be recovering in some areas, but not in housing.
[/url] [DG:47]
The data for the total number of new privately owned housing units in the month of November, released today, amounts to 555 thousand units.
The number of new privately owned housing units has been declining since 2005 and is at an all time low since the middle of 2008.
For more information, you can view the Data 360 report on [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=82"] Housing
Starts [/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Data 360, reported by Disha Bheda
1172
Technology 2010-12-17 [url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704694004576019691769574496.html?mod=WSJ_hp_mostpop_read"]
Phone-Wielding Shoppers Strike Fear Into Retailers [/url] [IM1:1221]
More shoppers are now using their smart phones to compare the price of merchandise while in stores. They key in prices they find on products
in stores into apps on their smart phone, find who offers them a better rate for the same product and make the purchase online.
???Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Chief Executive Mike Duke has dubbed this a "new era of price transparency"??”and its arrival is threatening to upend
the business models of the biggest store chains in America??™
- From The Wall Street Journal, reported by Disha Bheda
1173
US
Economy
2010-12-19 [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/18/us/18census.html?r
ef=us"] Economic Boom in Washington Leaves Gaping Income Disparities [/url] [IM1:1222]
1174
US
Economy
2010-12-20
[url="http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/12/20/tourism-spending-rebounds-but-below-peak/?mod=rss_WSJBlog&mod=marketbeat"] Tourism
Spending Rebounds, but Below Peak [/url] [IM1:1223]
According to the Commerce Department, travel and tourism spending increased by 8% (at a seasonally adjusted annual rate) to $1.34 trillion in
the third quarter from the second. However, this remains below the spending levels seen in the third quarter of 2007, which is before the onset
of the recession.
The travel and tourism figure "includes all direct tourism spending, which comprises all goods and services used by people who travel, as well
as the indirect spending such as toiletries for hotel guests."
1175
US
Economy
2010-12-20 [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2010/12/census-2010-data-at-11am-et.html"] Census 2010 Data [/url] [DG:2230]
- From The Wall Street Journal, reported by Disha Bheda
'U.S. Census Bureau announced today that the 2010 Census showed the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2010, was
308,745,538. The resident population represented an increase of 9.7 percent over the 2000 U.S. resident population of 281,421,906.'
- From The CalculatedRiskBlog. Graph from data from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1176
US
Economy
2010-12-22 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2225&transpose="] Real Gross Domestic Product at $13,278.5 billion
[/url] [DG:2225]
According to Investopedia, real GDP is 'An inflation-adjusted measure that reflects the value of all goods and services produced in a given
year, expressed in base-year prices.'
GDP continues to increase after taking a dip in late 2008 and early 2009. The seasonally adjusted annual GDP is $13,278.515 billion as of Q3
2010.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1177
US
Housing
Market
2010-12-23 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2224&transpose="]New single family home sales up slightly, but
remain low[/url] [DG:2224]
In the Census Bureau release on December 23, the seasonally adjusted annual rate of new single family home sales for November was
290,000. This is a slight increase over the October rate of 275,000, but is far below historical rates.
See the Data360 US Housing report [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=82"]here[/url]
- From the Census Bureau and St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Jamie Anderson
1178
US
Housing
Market
2010-12-28 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2181&transpose="]Home prices down in October 2010[/url] [DG:2181]
In the Standard and Poor's release on December 28, housing prices as of October 2010 were down in all areas as compared with September
2010. Only four of 20 MSAs and the 10-city composite index show year over year growth in home prices (October 2010 vs. October 2009).
See the Data360 S&P Case Shiller Home Price Index Report [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=110"]here[/url]
- From Standard and Poor's and the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Jamie Anderson
1179
US Interest 2010-12-28 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2231"]10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate at 3.41%[/url]
Rates
[DG:2231]
As per data released today, the 10-Year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate is 3.41% on 23rd Dec 2010. We see that this 10-Year Rate has hit
an all time low at the end of 2008 but has been steadily rising.
This rate indicates the yield on a risk free government security that will mature 10 years from now. Current yield rates being relatively low
when compared to historical rates imply that the government is following an expansionary monetary policy to stimulate the economy.
See the Data360 US Interest Rate Report [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=81"]here[/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1180
US
Housing
Market
2010-12-29 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2233&transpose="]Mortgage rates down slightly[/url] [DG:2233]
In the Freddie Mac release on December 23, mortgage rates were down slightly from the prior week, though rates remained relatively steady.
Rates are currently higher than they were during fall 2010, however rates remain low compared with most historical rates.
See the Data360 US Housing Overview Report [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=82"]here[/url]
- From Freddie Mac and the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Jamie Anderson
1181
US
2010-12-30 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2234&transpose="]Initial unemployment claims continue to
Employmentdecline[/url] [DG:2234]
In the Bureau of Labor Statistics release on December 30, there were 388,000 initial unemployment claims during the week ending 12/25. This
is the lowest level of initial unemployment claims since July 2008. The 4-week moving average of initial unemployment claims also continues to
decline.
See the Data360 US Employment Overview Report [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"]here[/url]
1182
US
Economy
- From the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Jamie Anderson
2010-12-31 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2235&transpose="]M2 Money Stock Less Small Time Deposits
Increases Gradually[/url] [DG:2235]
According to the data released today for the M2 related series, M2 Money Stock less Small Time Deposits stood at $7824.8 billion as of
November 1st,2010.
The St.Louis Federal Reserve defines M2 as 'a broader set of financial assets held principally by households. M2 consists of M1 plus: (1)
savings deposits (which include money market deposit accounts, or MMDAs); (2) small-denomination time deposits (time deposits in amounts
of less than $100,000); and (3) balances in retail money market mutual funds (MMMFs). Seasonally adjusted M2 is computed by summing
savings deposits, small-denomination time deposits, and retail MMMFs, each seasonally adjusted separately, and adding this result to
seasonally adjusted M1.'
We see in the adjoining graph, that the rate of increase of M2 Less Small Time Deposits is greater in the recession years. This may be due to
the government's attempt to stimulate the economy.
See the Data360 US Money Supply Report [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"]here[/url]
1183
US
Economy
2011-01-03 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2237&transpose="]Effective Federal Funds Rate at 0.19%[/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
[DG:2237]
As per Investopedia, the federal funds rate is 'The interest rate at which a depository institution lends immediately available funds (balances at
the Federal Reserve) to another depository institution overnight'. The effective federal funds rate, according to The Community Banker, is 'a
weighted average of the reported rates at which different amounts of the day's trading through New York brokers occurs'.
The effective federal fund rates have been at an all time low, hitting 0.11% in January of 2010. The rate is at 0.19% as of Nov 1st, 2010. This
can be seen as the Federal Reserve's move to increase money supply, make borrowing cheaper and thereby stimulate the economy.
1184
US
Economy
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
2011-01-04 [url="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=1325="]December light vehicle sales rate up[/url] [DG:504]
In the Bureau of Economic Analysis release on January 4, the December seasonally adjusted annual rate of light vehicle sales was 12.494
million, which is the highest rate since August 2009.
- From the Bureau of Economic Analysis and St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Jamie Anderson
1185
US
Economy
2011-01-05 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2186&transpose="]Non-Manufacturing sector continued to grow in
December[/url] [DG:2186]
In the Institute for Supply Management release on January 5, the December non-manufacturing business activity index measured at 63.5%.
December is now the 12th consecutive month of growth for the non-manufacturing sector and the 13th consecutive month of growth for the
non-manufacturing business activity index. Note that index values above 50% indicate sector expansion, while index values below 50%
indicate sector contraction.
- From the Institute for Supply Management and St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Jamie Anderson
1186
US
Economy
2011-01-06 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2203&transpose="]For every dollar the Fed puts into the economy,
only 0.93 dollar of economic value is created[/url] [DG:2203]
As of 27th Dec, 2010, the M1 Multiplier is at 0.93. The M1 Multiplier is a money supply indicator. It gives an idea of the amount of cash and
demand deposits generated for the common man by one dollar in the monetary base.
For more details on US Money Supply, see the Data360 report [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"]here[/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1187
US
Economy
2011-01-06 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2243&transpose="] Commercial Paper Outstanding at an all time low
[/url] [DG:2243]
The commercial paper outstanding as of 3rd Jan, 2011, is $965.7 billion. This is an indication that short-term borrowing activity is relatively
less when compared to previous time periods and economic recovery is slow.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1188
US
Economy
2011-01-07 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2215&transpose="] More amount of money in the hands of
consumers [/url] [DG:2215]
The St. Louis Adjusted Monetary Base, as of Dec 1st 2010 was $2,037.380 billion. The monetary base is an indication of the amount of money
in the hands of consumers. The monetary base has been increasing steeply since 2009.
For more details on US Money Supply, see the Data360 report [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"]here[/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1189
US
2011-01-07 [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"]Unemployment Rate Drops Slightly In December[/url] [DG:44]
Unemployment
The December unemployment rate decreased four tenths of a percent to 9.4%. This is the lowest rate since May of 2009.
[url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2245"]The number of people on unemployment for 27 weeks or more[/url]
increased 113,000 this month to a total of 6,441,000. Although the overall unemployment rate decreased, the increase in long-term
unemployment indicates that finding jobs is still a struggle for many.
See the entire [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"]Employment Report[/url] which covers the unemployment
rate, initial unemployment claims, the labor force population ratio and participation rate, the total payroll and change in payroll, and the duration
of unemployment.
1190
1191
US
Economy
US
Economy
2011-01-10 [url="http://data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2250"] Trade weighted exchange rate up slightly in December [/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
[DG:2250]
The US dollar trade weighted exchange rate increased slightly in December to an index level of 73.81. Gains to the trade weighted or broad
index as it is also known signal a strengthening of the US dollar relative to major trading partners. The index also increased in November after
sinking from[url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2204&transpose="]
2011-01-10
a 2010 high of 79 in June. A rising dollar index can be attributed to many factors Prime
but is generally
Bank Loanperceived
Rate at 3.25%
to be a[/url]
vote[DG:2204]
of
confidence in the domestic economy by investors. The dollar index has trended downward since 2002 after hitting a high of 112 in February of
that year.
The
PrimeSee
Bank
theLoan
full report
Rate, [url="http://data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2250"]here[/url]
which is the interest rate charged by banks for lending to their most credit-worthy customers, stood at 3.25% in
December 2010. This translates to the fact that interest rates on loans to the average consumer are at an all time low. This can be seen as the
Central Bank's initiative to make borrowing easier and stimulate economic activity.
For more information on The Prime Bank Loan Rate and other indicators that affect money supply,
see the Data360 report [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"]here[/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1192
US
2011-01-11 [url="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=1331"] Fewer Job Openings and New Hires in November [/url]
Employment[DG:2251]
According to the November 2010 Job Openings and Labor Turnover, released today, the US labor market had 3,248,000 new job openings.
Compared to October, there were 80,000 fewer new job openings. In addition, total hires were 4,210,000 and total separations stood at
4,118,000.
For more information about job openings, hires, and separations, go to the Data360 graph group
[url="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=1331"]here.[/url]
1193
1194
US
Economy
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-01-12 [url="http://data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2271"] US Import and Export Price Indices Rise Substantially in 2010 [/url]
[DG:2271]
US
Economy
US import and export prices both increased in December, up 1.1% and 0.7%, respectively. The December numbers, released Wednesday by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics, continue a trend of substantially higher prices in 2010. Overall import prices increased 4.8% for the year, led by
higher oil prices. Non-fuel imports ended the year up only 3%, largely as a result of rising food and metals prices. US export prices were up
6.5% in 2010, the largest increase on record. Export prices were driven by higher agricultural product and metals prices. Cotton ended the year
up 107%, unfinished metals were up 19.7%. Higher agricultural, metals and energy prices will likely lead to inflation in finished goods in the
2011-01-13 [url=" http://www.data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2273"] Latest Data Shows US Trade Deficit Contracted
coming months as costs are passed along to consumers. The import price index for consumer goods ended 2010 down 0.3%.
Slightly in November [/url] [DG:2273]
See the full report on imports [url="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=1332"]here[/url] and on exports
The US trade deficit shrunk by $0.1 billion in November to $38.3 billion on exports of $159.6 billion and imports of $198 billion new data out
[url="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=1333"]here[/url].
today by the US Dept. of Commerce shows. The US trade defect has been decreasing modestly since July when it stood at $7.3 billion.
See the full report on trade balances [url="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=1334"]here[/url].
1195
US
Economy
2011-01-13 [url=" http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2221&transpose="] Average selling prices of all commodities
increases by 1.01% in November [/url] [DG:2221]
The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that ???The Producer Price Index (PPI) program measures the average change over time in the selling
prices received by domestic producers for their output??™
According to data released today, the Producer Price Index of all commodities was 189.9 as of December 1st, 2010. It has increased by 1.01%
from 188 in November.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1196
US
2011-01-13 [url="http://www.data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2234&transpose="] Increase In Initial Unemployment
Unemployment
Claims For the Week Ending January 8th[/url] [DG:2234]
Seasonally Adjusted Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims for the week ending January 8th are up to 445,000 with an increase of 35,000 over
the week prior. As a result of these figures, the four-week moving average of initial unemployment claims increased 5,500 to 416,500.
-From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
1197
US
Economy
2011-01-14 [url=" http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2274&transpose="] Price Level for the consumer remains the same
[/url] [DG:2274]
The Consumer Price Index (for all urban consumers for all items) increased marginally by 0.5% from 219.146 in October to 220.252 in
November as per figures released today.
This indicates that the price paid by consumers for goods and services is more or less the same in October and November.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1198
US
Economy
2011-01-14 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2219"] December Retail Sales Increase .6%[/url] [DG:2219]
December retail sales increased .6% from November to $380,869,000,000. Monthly retail sales are now at their highest recorded point
surpassing the previous, pre-recession peak achieved in November 2007.
1199
US
Housing
Market
2011-01-18 [url="http://data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2291"] Permits for new home building at 19 month lows, builder confidence
flat [/url] [DG:2291]
The Commerce Department recently reported new home building permits in November slipped to their lowest levels since April of 2009.
Municipalities issued 544,000 such permits in November, down slightly from the previous month and dramatically lower than the 2.2 million
issued in September of 2005 at the height of the housing market. New home building permit figures for December will be announced tomorrow,
shedding additional light on the state of the construction industry which continues to be a drag on the overall US economy.
1200
US
Economy
In another report, released today, the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index showed no change in builder
confidence regarding the strength of the housing market. The index, which asks builders to give their opinions on current and expected future
sales, held at 16 for the third straight month in January after rising from 15 in October.
2011-01-18 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2289&transpose="] Corporate Borrowing Rates At An All Time Low
[/url] [DG:2289]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, Commerce Department and National Association of Home Builders, reported by H. Patterson
Moody??™s Seasoned Aaa Corporate Bond Yield is the interest rate that a company with a high Moody rating (of Aaa) has to pay to borrow
money.
On Dec 1st, 2010, the yield on a Moody??™s Seasoned Aaa Corporate Bond was 5.02%. This has been the lowest rate since 1960. This is
an indication that currently, borrowing money is cheap for corporations with a good rating. It can be due to more money in the economy as part
of the efforts of the government to stimulate the economy and encourage more business activity.
1201
US
Housing
Market
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
2011-01-19 [url=" http://www.data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2228
"] Housing Starts Down in December, Permits Rise [/url] [DG:2228]
New home construction in the US fell in December to the lowest level since October of 2009. The Commerce Department today reported that
seasonally adjusted housing starts slumped to 529,000, down from 553,000 in November and significantly lower than pre-recession highs. The
report also showed that new housing building permits increased to 635,000, the highest level in eight months. It takes one month, on average,
to begin construction on a permitted house, which suggests strong housing permit data in December will lead to higher new housing starts in
January.
1202
US
- From the St.
2011-01-20
[url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2234&transpose="]
Louis Federal Reserve and Commerce Department - reported by H. Patterson Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims Down to
Unemployment
404,000 [/url] [DG:2234]
Initial unemployment figures for last week (ending January 15) decreased 37,000 to 404,000. This change lowered the four-week average
4,000 to 411,750.
For more information on this and other unemployment-related data see our entire
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"] Employment Report. [/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
1203
US
Economy
2011-01-21 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2235&transpose="] M2 Money Stock Less Time Deposits increases
Only Slightly From November [/url] [DG:2235]
According to the data released today for the M2 related series, M2 Money Stock less Small Time Deposits stood at $7924.8 billion as of
December 1st, 2010. This M2 related series has increased slightly from $7823.4 billion in November.
In the recession years, the rate of increase of M2 Less Small Time Deposits is greater which can be attributed to the government’s
expansionary monetary policy.
For more information on US Money Supply, see the Data360 US Money Supply Report
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"] here. [/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1204
US
Economy
2011-01-24 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2308&transpose="] 30-Year Conventional Mortgage Rate At 4.71%
[/url] [DG:2308]
The interest rate on a [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2308&transpose="] 30-Year Conventional Mortgage [/url]
is 4.71% as of Dec 1st, 2010. The interest rates on this particular mortgage have been creeping up from 4.3% the month before and similarly
1205
US
Housing
Market
2011-01-25 [url="http://www.data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=1952"] Home Prices Continue Decline in November [/url]
[DG:1952]
Home prices declined for a sixth straight month in November according to the S&P/Case-Shiller 20 City Home Price Index, released today.
The index dropped to 142.70, down 1.6% from a year earlier and the lowest level since June of 2009 as home prices slumped around the
country. Atlanta led the decline, prices there were down 7.9% from a year earlier while Chicago saw prices drop 7.6%, the second largest
decline in the 20 city index. 16 cities saw prices fall from a year earlier and only San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Washington D.C.
recorded gains. Home prices are down 30.1% from the peak in April of 2006 and while they had been rebounding in the second half of 2009
and first half of 2010, recent declines raise the risk of the market heading for a double-dip.
1206
US
2011-01-25 [url="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=1341"] Regional and State Unemployment Had Only Small
- From Standard and Poor’s and Case-Shiller, reported by H. Patterson
Unemployment
Changes In December [/url] [DG:2313]
During December 20 states had increased unemployment rates, 15 states and Washington DC had decreased unemployment rates, and 15
states had no rate change. The Western US had the highest unemployment rate at 10.9% and the Northeast had the lowest: 8.4%. Nevada
has the highest unemployment of any state with a rate of 14.5% in December.
For more information, check out the US Regional Unemployment Graph Group
[url="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=1341"]here.[/url]
1207
US
Housing
Market
- From the Bureau of Labor Statistics, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-01-26 [url="http://data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2229"] New Single Family Home Sales Rose in December
[/url] [DG:2229]
New single family home sales rose in December to the highest level since April, the Commerce Department reported today.
Seasonally adjusted new single family home sales climbed to 329,000 in December, up 17.5% from 280,000 in November. However, home
sales remain depressed and have rebounded only slightly from the 274,000 new homes sold in August, the lowest number on record since the
Commerce Department began tracking new home sales in 1963. December’s new home sales were down 76% from the record high of 1.39
million sold in July of 2005.
1208
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Commerce Department - reported by H. Patterson
US
2011-01-27 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2234&transpose="] Initial Unemployment Claims Rise Considerably
Unemployment
[/url] [DG:2234]
Initial unemployment claims rose to 454,000 for the week ending January 22. This is an increase of 51,000 representing a serious departure
from the speculations that this figure would continue its downward trend. These findings increased the four week moving average to 428,750.
This is an increase of 15,750.
1209
US GDP
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-01-28 [DG:230] [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=170"] US GDP Has Small Gain in 4th Quarter of 2010
[/url]
The US GDP increased 125.3 billion dollars this quarter to a total of 14,870.4 billion dollars. The GDP is the sum of four different components:
personal consumption expenditures, gross private domestic investment, net exports of goods and services, and government consumption
expenditures and gross investment. Personal expenditures, a separate monthly measures, have rising each month for the past quarter. Gross
private domestic investment decreased 110.5 billion dollars to a total of 1,796.7 billion dollars. The trade deficit got slightly smaller. It now
stands at -492.2 billion. Government expenditures and investment increased slightly and is now at 3,040.7 billion. These figures combined to
form a slightly higher GDP this past quarter.
1210
US
Economy
Click [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=170"]here[/url] to see the entire GDP report.
2011-01-28 [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2314&transpose="] Though Consumers Have Money, Is It Changing
Hands? [/url] [DG:2314]
--From the Bureau of Economic Analysis, reported by Daniel Saniski
As per data released today, the velocity of M1 money stock, as of October 1, 2010 has been at 8.466. This is the lowest level it has reached
since 2000. This is so in spite of the monetary base being huge. This is an indication that though consumers have money, it is not changing
hands, probably due to a lack of confidence in the economy.
For more details about what M1 money stock and velocity indicate, please refer to the Data360 report on Money Supply
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"] here. [/url]
1211
US
Housing
Market
2011-01-31 [DG:2315] [url="http://data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2315"] US Homeownership Falls, Rental Market
Tightens in 4th Quarter of 2010[/url]
Homeownership in the US fell to 66.5% in the 4th quarter, down 0.7% from the same quarter a year earlier, the Commerce Department
reported today. This is the lowest level of homeownership in the US since 1998, around the time when ownership rates began an upward climb
past previous highs due to relaxed lending standards and bullish sentiments. Homeownership peaked in 2004 at 69.2% before declining
significantly in recent years as foreclosures began to ripple through the market. While homeownership rates have corrected downward over the
last five years they are still higher than the long-term average of about 64%, Commerce Department data shows.
1212
US
Economy
The Commerce Department also reported today that vacancies in rental housing declined while homeowner housing vacancies were flat in the
4th quarter compared to a year earlier. The rental housing vacancy rate was 9.4% in the 4th quarter; down from 10.7% a year earlier. The
vacancy rate for owner occupied housing was unchanged at 2.7%.
There is a positive relationship between homeownership and the vacancy rate in rental housing. As homeownership goes down, like we have
seen over the past year, households transition to the rental market where vacancies should also go down. A decrease in rental vacancy may
also be a sign the economy is improving as more people move into their own apartments after weathering the recession with relatives.
2011-02-01 [DG:2316] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2316&transpose="] ISM Manufacturing PMI Composite
Click [url="
Index
Increases
http://data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2315"]here[/url]
to 60.8[/url]
to see the entire report.
The Institute
--From
the Commerce
for SupplyDepartment,
Management's
reported
Manufacturing
by H. Patterson
PMI Composite Index increased to 60.8 this month from a revised December figure of
58.5. Index numbers above 50 indicate that the manufacturing economy is expanding. So not only is the US manufacturing sector expanding, it
is now past pre-2008 recession levels.
1213
1214
US
Housing
Market
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-02-01 [IM1:1226] [url=" http://www.data360.org/image_view.aspx?Uploaded_Image_Id=1226 "] Mortgage Purchase Applications Fell Last
Week, Are Down 21% From a Year Ago [/url]
The Mortgage Bankers Association today reported that weekly applications for home purchase mortgages increased 9.5% on a seasonally
adjusted basis and 16.7% on an unadjusted basis for the week ending January 28, 2011 from a week earlier. Unadjusted purchase
applications were down 21.4% from a year earlier. The volume of purchase applications, which is distinct from refinance applications in the
report, has trended downward since the middle of 2005, about a year before housing prices began to deflate. Between 2006 and 2009, the
downward trend in home prices mirrored the decline in purchase applications, however, since then home prices have stabilized while purchase
US
2011-02-02 [IM1:1225]
applications continue to trend downward. Purchase applications serve as a proxy for home sales which are tracked by several organizations
Employment[url="http://www.economicpopulist.org/content/adp-employment-report-january-2011-187000-private-sector-jobs-gained"] ADP Employment
including the Commerce Department. New-home sales hit a record low of 321,000 in 2010 according to data released by the Commerce
Report Shows Gain of 187,000 New Jobs [/url]
Department which has tracked sales since 1963.
The January ADP Employment Report of total private nonfarm payroll indicates an increase of 187,000 private sector jobs in the past month.
- From the Mortgage Bankers Association and Calculated Risk, reported by H. Patterson
This continues the upward trend started in January. The BLS releases its January employment report on Friday. When the new BLS data is
released on Friday there will be updates to our [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"] employment report.[/url]
1215
US
2011-02-03 [DG:2234] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2234&transpose="] Initial Unemployment Claims Down
- From ADP and The Economic Populist, reported by Daniel Saniski
Unemployment
This Week [/url]
Initial unemployment claims lowered 42,000 this week to 415,000. This increased the four week moving average 1,000 to 430,500. This
increase in the moving average comes because last week's figure was revised up 3,000.
The BLS releases their monthly employment situation report tomorrow which may provide additional context to these unemployment figures.
- From the BLS and The St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
1216
US
Economy
2011-02-03 [DG:2318] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2318&transpose="] ISM January Non-Manufacturing Index
Data Shows Further Expansion [/url]
The ISM Non-Manufacturing Index is at 59.4 indicating that the US private sector is continuing its upward trajectory of continual expansion
since August 2010. The index has not had a contracting value since November 2009. Combined with the expanding 60.8 reported in Tuesday's
Manufacturing Index release it appears the US economy is building momentum.
1217
US
Economy
- From the ISM and The St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-02-04 [DG:2320] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2320&transpose="] Increase in Reserve Bank Credit[/url]
As per data released today, the Federal Reserve Credit is at $2422.699 billion as of Jan 1st, 2011.We see a sharp spike in the Reserve Bank
1218
US
2011-02-04 [DG:44] [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"] Unemployment Rate Decreases to 9.0%[/url]
Employment
The US unemployment rate lowered four tenths of a percent to 9.0% during January. This represents 622,000 fewer officially unemployed
people. Total nonfarm payroll increased 36,000 jobs this month. New jobs alone do not account for the decrease. The civilian labor force
participation rate also decreased a tenth of a percent this month. This means that, in addition to the new jobs created, more people have fallen
out of the labor force.
For a complete picture, see our [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"]Employment Report.[/url]
- From the BLS and the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
1219
US
Economy
2011-02-07 [DG:2324] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2324&transpose="] Primary Credit Rate at 0.75%[/url]
The primary credit rate, as per data released today, is at 0.75% as of February 3rd, 2011.
The primary credit rate rose steadily from the middle of 2004 to the middle of 2006, remained steady until the latter half of 2007 and fell
gradually until almost the end of 2009. From 2008 until now, the prime credit rate has remained below 1%.
The US government is encouraging Financial institutions to do more business by lowering borrowing costs and trying to revive the economy
from the severe recession in 2008.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1220
US
Economy
2011-02-07 [DG:2325] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2325&transpose="] Total Outstanding Consumer Credit at
$2410.4 billion [/url]
Consumer credit gradually increased until July 2008 after which it has been decreasing.
Due to the recession, the high unemployment rate and large number of home foreclosures, people have tightened their purse strings. Savings
are increasing due to a decrease in consumer confidence in the American economy. Less money is being spent on purchasing
non-investment goods and consumables.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1221
US
2011-02-08 [IM1:1227] [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2011/02/bls-job-openings-decline-in-december.html"] Economy Adds 3.1 Million
EmploymentNew Jobs In December [/url]
According the JOLTS report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics today there were 3.1 million new jobs added in December 2010. In
addition 4.162 million people lost their jobs and 4.184 million were hired. This indicates a net gain of 22,000 jobs in labor turnover this past
month. Given the troubling labor force participation rate [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2241"]figures[/url] that
came out last Friday, this is comparatively good news.
1222
US
Housing
Market
2011-02-09 [IM1:1228] [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2011/02/mba-mortgage-applications-decrease-as.html"] Higher Interest Rates
- From Calculated Risk and the BLS, reported by Daniel Saniski
Dampen Mortgage Applications [/url]
Purchase and refinance mortgage applications both declined in the week ending February 4th from a week earlier the Mortgage Bankers
Association (MBA) reported today.
Purchase applications were down 1.4% on a seasonally adjusted basis and 4.8% on an unadjusted basis from a week earlier while refinance
applications were down 7.7%. This decline comes as average interest rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages jumped from 4.81% to 5.13%, a
nearly 7% increase from a week earlier and the largest jump since June of 2009, the MBA reported. Purchase applications were also down
16.6% from the same week a year earlier.
1223
More insight into the housing market will come next Wednesday when the Commerce Department reports new residential construction figures
for January. The December report, which can be viewed [url="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=26"]here[/url],
showed a decline in home construction.
US
2011-02-10 [DG:2234] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2234&transpose="] Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims
Unemployment
Down This Week [/url]
- From Calculated Risk and the Mortgage Bankers Association, reported by H. Patterson
1224
US
Economy
2011-02-10 [DG:2327] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2327&transpose="] Asset-Backed Commercial Paper
Outstanding at $346.7 billion. [/url]
The short-term borrowing by corporations to enhance their liquidity has been at an all time low since the beginning of 2011. As per data
released today, Asset-Backed Commercial Paper Outstanding stood at $346.7 billion as of Feb 7th, 2011.
The value peaked in the middle of 2007 after which it has been steadily decreasing. At present, the low values could be due to corporations
having excess cash and not wanting to spend it because of apprehensions about economic conditions.
1225
US
Economy
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
2011-02-11 [DG:2215] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2215&transpose="] The Adjusted Monetary Base
increases by 1.4% . [/url]
As per data released today, the St. Louis Adjusted Monetary Base was at $2065.901 billion as of January 1st, 2011.
This money supply measure includes only the most liquid currencies such as currency with the public and commercial deposits at the central
bank??™s reserves.
This Monetary Base has increased by 1.4% from $2037.375 billion in December 2010 to $2065.901 billion in January 2011.
For more information on Adjusted Monetary Base and other Money Supply Indicators, view the Data 360 Money Supply Report
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"] here .[/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1226
US
Economy
2011-02-11 [DG:2272] [url="http://www.data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2272"] US Trade Balance Decreases in
December [/url]
The US trade balance declined in December as gains in imports outpaced gains in exports, the Commerce Department reported today.
The balance of payments in December reached -$40.58 billion, a drop from -$38.32 billion in November. Higher oil prices accounted for a large
part of the increase in imports and the trade balance excluding oil actually increased in December. Increased imports and exports suggest the
economy is expanding, however, a net inflow of goods and services actually reduces gross domestic product (GDP).
See the whole report on US trade [url="http://www.data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2272"] here .[/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Commerce Department, reported by H. Patterson.
1227
US
Economy
2011-02-14 [DG:2237] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2237&transpose="] US Federal Funds Rate at 0.17%. [/url]
The Federal Funds Rate, as of Jan 1st, 2011 was 0.17%. The rate has decreased only slightly from 0.18% as of Dec 1st, 2010.
The Federal Funds Rate, which is the rate of interest banks charge each other for overnight funds has been below 1% since the end of 2008.
After the collapse of the US economy in 2008, the government has kept the Federal Funds Rate low to stimulate borrowing and increase
economic activity.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1228
US
Economy
2011-02-15 [DG:2219] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2219&transpose="] US Advance Monthly Retail and Food
Sales Increased In January [/url]
Retail and food sales were at $381,565,000,000 this month representing and increase of 1,290,000,000 or .3%. Retail sales have been steadily
increasing since September of 2009 and they have now passed the previous peak of $379,960,000,000 set in November of 2007.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
1229
US
Housing
Market
2011-02-15 [DG:2290] [url="http://www.data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2290"] Home Builder Confidence Unchanged
In February [/url]
1230
US
Housing
Market
2011-02-16 [DG:2222] [url="http://data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2222"] Housing Starts Rebound in January [/url]
Housing starts increased to 596,000 in January from 520,000 in December the Commerce Department reported today. December’s home
starts were revised downward in this report from an initially stated 529,000. While improving, home starts are still significantly lower than during
the housing boom and the housing industry remains weak.
- From the St. Louis Fed and Commerce Department, reported by H. Patterson
1231
US
Economy
2011-02-16 [DG:2328] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2328&transpose="] Producer Price Index at 185.5. [/url]
The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods increased by 0.75% from 184.1 in December 2010 to 185.5 in January 2011 as per the data
released today.
The index, which is an indicator of change in selling price received by businesses and sellers, has decreased or remained flat during
recessions.
The slight increase in this index from December 2010 could be due to an increase in inflation or a slight surge in economic activity as a result
of an expansionary monetary policy.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1232
US
Economy
2011-02-16 [IM1:1229] [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2011/02/industrial-production-capacity.html"] Industrial Production Down
Slightly This Month [/url]
Industrial production decreased .1% this month after steady increases since the middle of last year. Manufacturing has increased in January by
.2%.
- From Calculated Risk Blog and the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniki
1233
US
Economy
2011-02-17 [DG:2329] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2329&transpose="] Consumer Price Index at 221.062.
[/url]
The Consumer Price Index For Urban Consumers for All Items increased by 0.4% from 220.186 in December 2010 to 221.062 in January
2011, as per data released today.
The Consumer Price Index measures inflation and indicates that slightly more money is chasing the same goods in January 2011 as compared
to December 2010.
For more information on Consumer Price Index, view the Data360 report
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=169"] here [/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Data360, reported by Disha Bheda
1234
US
Economy
2011-02-18 [DG:2235] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2235"] M2 Money Stock Increases Slightly. [/url]
M2 less small time deposits was at $7927.7 billion as of January 1st, 2011. It has increased slightly from $7924.7 billion as of December 1st,
2010.
For more information on Money Supply, view the Data360 report [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"] here
[/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Data360, reported by Disha Bheda
1235
US
Housing
Market
2011-02-22 [DG:1952] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=1952"] Home Prices Slumped in December. [/url]
The Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price Index, released today, shows U.S. home values declined in December to their lowest levels since June of
2009. Prices in cities across the country dropped by an average of 0.4% from November and have been in decline for seven straight months.
The housing market, which bottomed-out in the spring of 2009 and appeared to be recovering, has since given up most of its gains. Prices
were up just 2% in December from April 2009 lows.
1236
US
Economy
2011-02-22 [DG:2237] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2237&transpose="] Effective Federal Funds Rate at
0.17%. [/url]
As per data released today, the interest rate at which depository institutions lend to each other overnight, the Effective Federal Funds Rate, is
0.17% as of January 1st, 2011. The rate has decreased by 0.01 % from 0.18% in December 2010 to 0.17% in January.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Data360, reported by Disha Bheda
1237
US
Economy
2011-02-23 [DG:2330] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2330&transpose="] Interest Rate at 0.25%. [/url]
The Interest Rate paid on excess reserve balances (Institutions with 1-Week Maintenance Period)has remained constant at 0.25% since
December 2008.
This rate saw a sharp fall from the beginning of December 2008 when it was at 0.75% to 0.25%at the end of the same month. This is probably
a measure undertaken by the US Government to stimulate the economy and bring it out of the recession.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1238
US
2011-02-24 [DG:2234] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2234"] Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims Down This
Unemployment
Week [/url]
Weekly initial unemployment claims stood at 391,000 for the week of February 14th. They decreased 22,000 from last week's figure of
413,000, a change of 5%. This week's claim number dropped the four-week average 16,500 to 402,000 from 418,500. Although these lowered
figures are good news, this is still higher than the previous lowest figure of 385,000 reported the last week of January.
1239
US
Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-02-24 [DG:2331] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2331&transpose="] Financial Stress Index at -0.017 [/url]
The St. Louis Financial Stress Index, which consists of about 18 data series, as per data released today, is at -0.017. The index is back to
pre-recession levels.
Rising levels of this index can indicate economic turmoil. So the current low levels look encouraging to a healthy economic climate.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1240
US
Economy
2011-02-25 [DG:2215] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2215&transpose="] Monetary Base increases by 0.014%
[/url]
As per data released today, the St. Louis Adjusted Monetary Base was at $2,065.90 billion as of January 1st, 2011. This monetary base has
increased by 0.014% from $2037.38 billion in December 2010.
More money is being circulated in the economy as part of the US Government’s quantitative easing measures.
For more information on Money Supply Indicators, view the Data360 report on Money Supply
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"]here.[/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1241
US GDP
2011-02-25 [DG:230] [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=170"] 4th Quarter 2010 GDP Figure Revised Down 9.4
Billion [/url]
The Bureau of Economic Analysis released revised fourth quarter 2010 GDP figures today and the GDP is now at 14,861 Billion. This is 9.4
Billion fewer dollars than the advanced estimate indicated, or a decrease of .06%.
Click [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=170"]here[/url] to see the entire GDP report.
--From the Bureau of Economic Analysis, reported by Daniel Saniski
1242
US
Economy
2011-02-28 [DG:2332] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2332&transpose= "] Saving Rate At 5.8% [/url]
The Personal Saving Rate, as per data released today, is at 5.8% as of January 1st, 2011. The Saving Rate has been at its lowest levels prior
to the recession in 2008 after which it has been steadily rising.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1243
US
Economy
2011-02-28 [IM1:1230] [url="http://www.dallasfed.org/data/outlook/2011/1102/tmos1102.cfm"] Texas Manufacturing Production Increases
Substantially in February [/url]
The Dallas Federal Reserve reported today that the Texas Manufacturing Production Index was at 9.7 today, up from .2 in January. This is an
increase of 9.5, which is substantial. In addition and likely as a result the manufacturing employment index increased 1.2 to a new total of 10.5.
Any number above zero on these indices indicates expansion.
1244
US
Economy
--From the Dallas Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-03-01 [DG:2316] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2316"] ISM Manufacturing Index Continues Rising in
February [/url]
The ISM manufacturing index for February was released today with a value of 61.4. This is an increase of .6 over last month's figure of 60.8.
These figures indicate that the US manufacturing sector is continuing its expansion. The index has been increasing for the past 19 months.
Values over fifty indicate expansion and as the graph shows the index most recently passed the 50 threshold in August 2009.
--From the Institute For Supply Management, reported by Daniel Saniski
1245
1246
US
Economy
US
Economy
2011-03-01 [IM1:1231] [url="http://cr4re.com/charts/charts.html?Housing#category=Housing&chart=ConstructionSpendingJan2011.jpg"]
Construction Spending Declined in January [/url]
Seasonally adjusted construction spending in the US declined in January from December, the Commerce Department reported today. Overall
construction spending dropped 0.7% in January to an annual rate of $791.8 billion from $797.6 billion in December. Residential construction
posted a seasonally adjusted 5.3% gain over December, reaching a $245.6 billion annual rate in January while nonresidential construction fell
6.9%. Despite gains last month, residential construction is still far below the heights it reached in 2006 during the housing boom and continues
to depress overall construction spending. It fell 60% during the recession and has been largely flat since reaching a bottom in July of 2009.
2011-03-02 [DG:2333] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2333&transpose= "] Interest Rate On Required Reserve
Balances at 0.25% [/url]
- From the Department of Commerce and Calculated Risk, reported by H. Patterson
The interest rate paid on required reserve balances (Institutions with 1-Week Maintenance Period) stood at 0.25% as of February 23rd, 2011.
This rate plunged in 2008 and has remained unchanged since December 2008.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1247
US
2011-03-02 [DG:339] [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2011/03/adp-private-employment-increased-by.html"] ADP Employment Report
EmploymentPosts Strong Gains in February [/url]
The February ADP employment report, released today, shows private sector gains of 217,000 new jobs. Most of these were in the
service-providing sector with 202,000 of the new jobs. Employment in good-producing rose 15,000 and and manufacturing rose 20,000. The
BLS [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"]employment report[/url], due out on Friday, will surely provide
additional context to ADP's numbers.
1248
US
2011-03-03 [DG:2234] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2234"] Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims Decrease For
-from ADP and Calculated Risk Blog, reported by Daniel Saniski
Unemployment
Third Straight Week [/url]
Initial claims of unemployment were down 5% to 368,000 for week of February 21. This is the lowest figure since May of 2008. If this pattern of
lowering unemployment claims persists then initial unemployment claims will be at pre-recession levels and will have "recovered." This is
certainly promising news although long-term unemployment is still at historically high levels. Tomorrow the BLS will release its monthly
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"]employment report[/url].
1249
US
Economy
2011-03-03 [DG:2243] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2243&transpose= "]Commercial Paper Outstanding
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
Increases by 1.66% [/url]
1250
US
Economy
2011-03-04 [DG:2215] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2215&transpose= "]Significant Increase in Monetary Base
[/url]
The St. Louis Adjusted Monetary Base increased 8.1% from $2065.9 billion in January 2011 to $2233.2 billion in February 2011. In the last six
months, this has been the largest increase. This implies that there is more money in the hands of consumers.
For more information on Money Supply Indicators, view the Data360 report
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"]here[/url].
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1251
1252
US
2011-03-04 [DG:44] [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"] Unemployment Rate Drops to 8.9% [/url]
Unemployment
The February unemployment rate decreased .1% to 8.9%. It has been decreasing since November 2010 and is now at the lowest rate since
April 2009. The total nonfarm payroll increased 192,000 jobs to 130,515,000. Combined with the steadily decreasing initial weekly claims it
appears the US employment situation is improving. In addition, the labor force participation rate and employment to population ratio held
steady implying that the lowered rate implies more employed people rather than fewer people seeking work. Figures for every unemployment
duration category decreased lowering the median duration of unemployment .6 weeks to 21.2 weeks. See our complete
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"] employment report[/url] employment rate for further details and charts.
US
2011-03-07 [DG:2334] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2334&transpose= "]Consumer Loans Owned By Banks
Economy [/url]
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
As per data released today, the consumer loans owned by commercial banks stood at $1,083.6 billion in January 2011. This figure decreased
slightly in January 2911 from $1,098.7 billion in December 2010.
The consumer loans increased sharply in the beginning of 2010 but have been decreasing since July 2010. The decrease in loans owned by
commercial banks could be due to consumers re-paying the loans.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1253
US
Economy
2011-03-08 [DG:2335] [url="://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2335&transpose= "]Financial Stress Index Hovers Around
Zero [/url]
The Kansas City Financial Stress Index, as per data released today, is at -0.33 in January 2011. It decreased slightly from -0.31 in December
2010.
This index indicates that financial stress is hovering around the average value since 1990.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1254
US
Economy
2011-03-09 [IM1:1232] [url="http://www.census.gov/wholesale/index.html"] Wholesale Sales Up In January [/url]
January 2011 wholesale sales were $387 billion--an increase of 3.4 percent over last month's figures. Sales of motor vehicles and motor
vehicle parts and supplies increased 7.8 percent over last month. Inventories stood at 436.9 billion representing an increase of 1.1 percent.
This set the January inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers at 1.13. This is a decrease .03 from January 2010.
--From the US Census Bureau, reported by Daniel Saniski
1255
US
Housing
2011-03-09 [IM1:1233] [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2011/03/mba-mortgage-purchase-application_09.html"] Home Mortgage
Applications Increased Last Week. [/url]
Applications for home mortgages increased 15.5% on a seasonally adjusted basis last week from a week earlier, the Mortgage Bankers
Association reported today.
On an unadjusted basis, mortgage applications were up 16.1% over the previous week, reaching their highest level of the year. At the same
time, the average contract rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage increased to 4.93% from 4.84%. A greater number of mortgage applications may
suggest demand in the housing market is picking up after a sluggish start to the year.
- From the Mortgage Bankers Association and Calculated Risk, reported by H. Patterson
1256
US
Trade
2011-03-10 [DG:2272] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2272&transpose="] US Balance of Payments Decreases
Substantially in January [/url]
The US balance of payments, the measurement of exports spending to import spending, decreased 15% this month to a total of
-$46,341,000,000. This is the lowest figure on record since June of 2010. Imports from China increased 1.7% while exports decreased 20%.
Both imports from and exports to Canada, the US's largest trading partner, increased this month by 0.2% and 1.1%, respectively.
1257
US
Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, US Census Bureau, and Bureau of Economic Analysis, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-03-11 [DG:2219] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2219&transpose="] Retail Sales Up in February [/url]
Retail sales increased 1% in February to a total of $387,123,000,000. They have increased every month since June of 2010 and have
increased 15% since the low point during the recession reached in December of 2008.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Bureau of Labor Statistics, reported by Daniel Saniski
1258
US
Economy
2011-03-14 [DG:2231] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2231&transpose= "]Treasury Constant Maturity Rate at
3.37% [/url]
The ten year treasury constant maturity rate as per data released today stands at 3.37% as of March 10th, 2011.
Since 2008, this rate has been hovering between 2% and 4%. The government may intentionally have kept these rates low to stimulate the
economy.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1259
US
Economy
2011-03-15 [DG:2336] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2336"] Imports From China More Expensive in February
[/url]
Data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that prices of imports from China rose 2% in February from a year earlier. China,
the largest importer to the US and now the world’s second largest economy, has been fighting domestic inflation for more than a year and it
appears some of that inflation is finding its way to the US.
The prices of imports from China were flat for most of 2009 and the first half of 2010 before rising rapidly in the second half of 2010 and into
2011. Some of this increase is due to rising raw materials prices, notably cotton, which get passed along to buyers of finished goods in the
more developed markets.
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US
Housing
2011-03-16 [DG:2228] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=47"] Fewer Housing Starts in February [/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Bureau of Labor Statistics, reported by H. Patterson
New residential construction in the U.S. dropped 22.5% in February and building permits hit their lowest level on record, the Commerce
Department reported today. 479,000 new residential units were started in the month on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis. This is down
nearly 80% from the record number of housing starts in January of 2006 at the height of the home construction boom and is the second lowest
number on record, following the 477,000 starts seen in April of 2009. New monthly housing starts averaged 1.5 million over the last 70 years,
but over the last three years the average was 673,000.
1261
US
Economy
-2011-03-16
From the St.
[DG:2328]
Louis Federal
[url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2328&transpose="]
Reserve and Commerce Department, reported by H. Patterson
Producer Price Index Increases
Slightly [/url]
As per data released today, the producer price index of finished goods was at 188.5 as of February 2011. It has increased slightly from 185.5
in January 2011. As indicated by the producer price index, prices have increased only by 1.6% over the one month period.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1262
US
Economy
2011-03-17 [DG:2217] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2217&transpose="] Consumer Price Index Up In
February[/url]
As per data released today, the consumer price index was at 222.270 as of February 2011. The consumer price index of all items has
increased by a tiny bit from 221.062 in January 2011.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1263
US
Economy
2011-03-17 [DG:2337] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2337&transpose="] Industrial Production Index Decreases
Slightly in February[/url]
The industrial production index dropped to 95.458 from a value of 95.5625 in January. With it, total capacity utilization dropped .1% to 76.3%.
However, manufacturing capacity utilization increased .3% to 74.7%.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
1264
US
Economy
2011-03-18 [DG:2235] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2235&transpose="] M2 Money Stock Increases By 0.5%
[/url]
As per data released today, M2 money stock less time deposits increased by 0.5% from $7,928.4 billion in January to $7973.3 billion in
February. This may be part of the government’s initiative to increase money supply and stimulate the economy.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1265
US
Housing
2011-03-21 [IM1:1234] [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2011/03/february-existing-home-sales-488.html"] Existing Home Sales Decline
in February [/url]
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported today that existing home sales declined 9.6% in February to a seasonally adjusted annual
rate of 4.88 million. This is down 2.8% from the 5.02 million existing homes sold in the same month a year earlier. It is also significantly lower
than during the housing boom when, in 2005, home sales crossed the 7 million mark for several months in a row.
Existing home sales declined across the country. The largest drop was in the Midwest where volume declined 12.2% in February from a month
earlier. Sales declined in the South, West and Northeast by 10.2%m 8% and 7.2%, respectively.
1266
US
Economy
- From the National Association of Realtors and Calculated Risk, reported by H. Patterson
2011-03-22 [IM1:1235]
[url="http://www.richmondfed.org/research/regional_economy/surveys_of_business_conditions/manufacturing/2011/mfg_03_22_11.cfm#tabview=tab1"]
Richmond Fed Manufacturing Survey Down From February [/url]
The Richmond Fed Manufacturing Survey, which covers Maryland, DC, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, fell five
points today to 20. Numbers above zero indicate growth, though, so the region is still growing overall. Among current condition measures, with
the exceptions of employee growth and wages other index measures decreased slightly. Inventories are also up slightly this month.
1267
US
Housing
Market
2011-03-23 [DG:2224] [url="http://www.data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2224"] Single Family Home Sales Hit Record
--From the Richmond Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
Low [/url]
New single family home sales declined in February to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 250,000, the Department of Commerce reported
today. This is the lowest level on record since the agency began tracking the figure in the 1960s.
New home sales were down 16.9% from January’s revised 301,000 units sold and 28% lower than in the same month a year earlier when
347,000 new homes are estimated to have sold. New home sales peaked at 1.39 million in July of 2005 during the housing boom and have
since plunged 82%.
1268
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Department of Commerce, reported by H. Patterson
US
2011-03-24 [DG:2234] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2234&transpose="] Initial Unemployment Claims Down
Unemployment
5,000 This Week [/url]
Initial unemployment claims decreased 1 percent to 382,000 this week, this the fifth week already this year under 400,000. This figure brought
down the four-week moving average to 385,250.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
1269
US
Economy
2011-03-24 [DG:2243] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2243&transpose="] Commercial Paper Outstanding at
$1,079.7 billion [/url]
The total commercial paper outstanding stood at $1,079.7 billion as of Mar 21, 2011 as per data released today. Over a one week period, the
commercial paper outstanding has increased by $4 billion from $1,075.7 billion.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1270
US
Economy
2011-03-25 [DG:230] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=230&transpose="] Revised Nominal 4th Quarter 2010 GDP
at $14,871.4 Billion[/url]
The BEA revised its 4th quarter 2010 GDP figures today. Nominal GDP is at $14,871.4 billion and real GDP is at $13,380.7 billion. According to
the Bureau of Economic Analysis, 4th quarter GDP was positively influenced by personal consumption expenditures, exports, and
nonresidential fixed investment and negatively influenced by private inventory investment and state and local government
spending. Imports were down this past quarter (they are subtracted from GDP). To learn more about the US GDP, see our
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=170"] report.[/url]
1271
US
Economy
- From the St.
2011-03-28
[DG:2231]
Louis Federal
[url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2231&transpose="]
Reserve and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, reported by Daniel Saniski Treasury Maturity Rate at 3.42% [/url]
The 10-year Treasury Constant Maturity Rate stood at 3.42% as of March 24, 2011 as per data released today. This maturity rate has been
varying between 3% - 4% since 2008.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1272
Energy
2011-03-28 [DG:2339] [url=" http://data360.org/adm_dp_report.aspx?Data_Plot_Id=809"] Weekly Gasoline Prices Continue Steady Climb [/url]
Gasoline prices across the U.S. averaged $3.596 per gallon last week, the Department of Energy reported today. The average, which includes
gasoline and diesel, was three cents or about 1% higher than a week earlier and 28% higher than the same week one year ago.
Gasoline prices have been rising steadily and are at their highest nominal level since July of 2008 when the average gallon cost $4.114 and oil
briefly crossed the $140 per barrel mark. Between January, 2008 and last week gasoline prices rose 118%.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Department of Energy, reported by H. Patterson
1273
US
Housing
2011-03-29 [DG:1952] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=1952"] U.S. Home Prices Continue Decline in January [/url]
U.S. home prices fell by 3% in January from a year earlier and dropped 0.2% from December, both on a seasonally adjusted basis, according
to the Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price Index, released today by Standard & Poor’s.
Home prices fell for a seventh straight month in January, erasing modest gains in the second half of 2009 and first half of 2010. Homes in the
20 city index are now just 1% more expensive than they were at the bottom of the housing market in May, 2009.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Standard & Poor’s, reported by H. Patterson
1274
1275
US
2011-03-30 [DG:46] [url="http://www.adpemploymentreport.com/pdf/FINAL_Report_March_11.pdf"] ADP Employment Report Shows Growth of
Employment201,000 Private Jobs in March 2011[/url]
US
Housing
The ADP employment report for March, released today, claims there are 108,292,000 workers on private payrolls in March. This is an increase
of 201,000 jobs from February. This continues the steady upward trajectory of employment since late last year. Small companies (with 1-49
employees) showed the biggest gain, adding 102,000 new jobs this month. Although goods-producing jobs showed small gains of 37,000 jobs,
service-providing jobs leapt forward with 164,000 new jobs. The BLS releases its March employment report on Friday which will provide further
insight into the current employment situation. Graph from BLS employment report.
2011-03-30 [IM1:1236] [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2011/03/mba-mortgage-purchase-application_30.html"] Mortgage Applications
Fell Last Week [/url]
--From ADP, reported by Daniel Saniski
The volume of mortgage applications fell 7.5% on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending March 25th from a week earlier, the
Mortgage Bankers Association reported today.
Applications for home refinancing fell 10.1% while applications for new mortgages fell 1.7% on a seasonally adjusted basis. New mortgage
applications were down 21.9% from the same week a year earlier. Mortgage applications indicate the level of willing buyers and sellers in the
market and the decline in applications last week mirrors larger declines in home sales and prices.
1276
US
Economy
- From the Mortgage Bankers Association and Calculated Risk, reported by H. Patterson
2011-03-31 [DG:2207] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2207&transpose="] M1 Money Stock at $1864.8 billion
[/url]
1277
1278
US
2011-04-01 [DG:44] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=44&transpose="] Unemployment Rate Down to 8.8%[/url]
Unemployment
The BLS unemployment report, released today, shows an unemployment figure of 8.8%. This is a .1% reduction from last month and the fourth
straight month of decrease. In addition, the civilian employment-population ratio increased .1%--the first such increase since August of last
year. Unemployment of less than 5 weeks and more than 27 weeks were up this month, but 5-14 weeks and 15-26 weeks were both down.
The increase of 27+ week unemployment numbers is still troubling and indicates that there are still serious employment difficulties, but the past
few months of improving statistics show the situation is improving. See the full
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"]report[/url].
US
2011-04-04 [DG:2231] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2231&transpose="] Treasury Constant Maturity Rate At
Economy 3.47%[/url]
--From the Bureau of Labor Statistics, reported by Daniel Saniski
The ten-year treasury constant maturity rate stood at 3.47% as of 3/31/2011 as per data released today. Since 2008, this maturity rate has
been hovering between 2% and 4%. This range is at the lowest end of the spectrum since 1962. This can be due to the government’s initiative
to stimulate the economy post the recession.
1279
US
Economy
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
2011-04-05 [DG:2186] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2186&transpose="] After Six Month's Growth, ISM
Non-Manufacturing Index Declines[/url]
The ISM Non-Manufacturing Index was at 59.7 in March, considerably down from 66.9 in February. This heralds the end of a six month-long
increasing growth pattern, starting in September 2010. Any number above 50 means non-manufacturing business activity is still expanding, but
a number this much closer to 50 indicates the rate of growth has slowed considerably.
1280
US
Housing
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-04-06 [IM1:1237] [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2011/04/mba-mortgage-purchase-application.html"] Mortgage Applications Fell
Last Week [/url]
The volume of mortgage applications fell in the week ending April 1st from a week earlier, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported today.
Total application volume was down 2.0% from a week earlier on a seasonally adjusted basis, as measured by the MBA Market Composite
Index. Refinance applications were down 6.2% while purchase applications were up 6.7%, both on a seasonally adjusted basis from a week
earlier.
The increase in purchase activity is most likely due to home buyers rushing to submit applications before a planned increase in FHA insurance
premiums, the MBA reported. Meanwhile, refinance applications hit their lowest level of the year and overall mortgage applications remain
significantly below pre-recession volumes.
1281
US
Economy
- From the Mortgage Bankers Association and Calculated Risk, reported by H. Patterson
2011-04-07 [DG:2331] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2331&transpose="] Financial Stress Index at -0.027[/url]
As per data released today, the financial stress index stood at -0.027. We can see that the financial market stress is not at worrisome levels
like it was from 2008 to 2010.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1282
US
Economy
2011-04-08 [DG:2215] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2215&transpose="] Adjusted Monetary Base Increases by
8.27%[/url]
The St. Louis Adjusted Monetary Base stood at $ 2418.12 billion as of March 2011 as per data released today. Over a one month period, it
increased by 8.27% from $2233.25 billion in February 2011.
This indicates that there is more money in the hands of consumers and in commercial bank deposits held at the central bank’s reserves. This
could possibly be attributed to the government’s quantitative easing measures.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1283
US
Economy
2011-04-08 [IM1:1239] [url="http://www2.census.gov/wholesale/pdf/mwts/currentwhl.pdf"] February Wholesale Sales Down .8% and
Inventories Up 1%[/url]
The Census Bureau's monthly trade report, released today, shows February 2011 sales of merchant wholesalers were $379.0 billion, down 0.8
percent from last month, but increased 13.7 from February 2010. Inventories were at $438 billion, up 1% from last month and up 12.7% from
1284
US
Economy
2011-04-11 [DG:2231] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2231"] Treasury Constant Maturity Rate at 3.56%[/url]
The ten-year treasury constant maturity rate stood at 3.56% as of April 6th as per data released today. Since the recession in 2008, this
maturity rate has been below 4%.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1285
US
Economy
2011-04-12 [DG:2258] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2258"] Import Prices Climb in March [/url]
The price of imported goods to the U.S. rose nearly 10% last month from a year ago, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
Import prices in March were up 9.66% from a year earlier and up 2.67% from February of this year. Fuel prices, which weigh heavily on overall
import prices, were up 37.3% from a year earlier. Excluding fuel, import prices rose 4.2% from a year earlier. These measures are not adjusted
for seasonality.
Import prices rose dramatically between 2002 and 2008 before falling equally dramatically during the recession. Now, import inflation is
beginning to accelerate, indicating that consumer and producer prices will also rise. The Consumer Price Index (CPI), scheduled to be
released at the end of this week, should shed more light on how import prices are impacting overall consumer prices.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Bureau of Labor Statistics, reported by H. Patterson
1286
US
2011-04-13 [DG:2251] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2251"] Job Openings Increase Considerably In February: a
EmploymentFurther Sign of Economic Recovery[/url]
Total nonfarm jobs openings were at 3,093,000 in February, a 12.8% increase from the 2,741,000 increase reported in January and the highest
figure since October of 2008. Total hires were up to 3,907,000 in February and Total separations were also up this month at 3,792,000.
--From the Bureau of Labor Statistics, reported by Daniel Saniski
1287
US
Housing
2011-04-13 [IM1:1240] [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2011/04/mba-mortgage-purchase-application_13.html"] Applications for
Purchase Mortgages Fell Last Week [/url]
Applications for mortgages tied to new home purchases fell 4.7% last week from a week earlier, on a seasonally adjusted basis, the Mortgage
Bankers Association reported today.
Purchase applications were expected to fall last week after rising 6.7% the week before due to prospective home buyers rushing to lock in
lower rates ahead of a scheduled FHA insurance premium hike. The four week moving average for purchase applications was up 0.7% last
week on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Refinance applications also fell last week, they were down 7.7% from a week earlier. The four week moving average for refinance applications
was down 5.3%, also on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Mortgage interest rates increased last week to 4.98% for the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, from 4.93% the previous week.
- From the Mortgage Bankers Association and Calculated Risk, reported by H. Patterson
1288
US
Economy
2011-04-14 [DG:2328] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2328&transpose="] Producer Price Index at 189.8[/url]
The Producer Price Index for finished goods stood at 189.8 as of March 2011 as per data released today. The index increased by only a few
points from 188.5 in February 2011. This implies that the selling price of finished goods has increased only slightly over the one month period.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1289
US
Economy
2011-04-15 [DG:2217] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2217"] Consumer Price Index Increases by 2.7% [/url]
The Consumer Price Index for all items stood at 223.490 as of March 2011 as per data released today. It increased by 2.7% when compared to
a year ago. Since November 2010, the one-year percentage change in inflation has been increasing.
For more information on the Consumer Price Index, view the Data 360 report
1290
US
Economy
2011-04-18 [DG:2204] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2204&transpose="] Prime Bank Loan Rate At 3.25% [/url]
The Prime Bank Loan Rate stood at 3.25% as of March 2011 as per data released today. This rate has remained the same since January
2009. In the beginning of 2008, the rate was at around 7% and towards the end of the year, fell to about 3.5%. This could be due to the
government’s efforts to stimulate the economy post the recession.
For more information on Money Supply Indicators, view the Data 360 report
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"]here.[/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1291
US
Housing
2011-04-18 [IM1:1241] [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2011/04/nahb-builder-confidence-index-declines.html"] Homebuilder
Confidence Drops Slightly in April [/url]
Homebuilder confidence regarding the market for new single family homes in the U.S. dropped slightly in April, the National Association of
Home Builders (NAHB) reported today.
The NAHB’s overall housing market index (HMI) fell one point to 16 in April from February on reduced confidence in the South. Builder
confidence in that region fell four points to 15 while in the West it was unchanged at 17. Builder confidence in the Northeast and Midwest ticked
up two points to 20 and 14, respectively.
1292
The HMI index tends to mirror new home starts and a score over 50 means more builders are optimistic than pessimistic about the housing
market over the next six months. April’s measure of 16 shows builder sentiment remains extremely depressed and is in line with new home
sales which are near all-time lows. Home sales and the HMI are both important indicators of the health of the overall economy, however, given
the number of distressed properties on the market these metrics are unlikely to improve until after the broader economy has stabilized.
US
2011-04-19 [DG:2349] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2349&transpose="] North Dakota Has Extremely Low
Unemployment
Unemployment Rate [/url]
- From the National Association of Home Builders and Calculated Risk Blog, reported by H. Patterson
Bucking the trend of high unemployment in the US, North Dakota has an unemployment rate of 3.6%. The employment rates there have
remained well below the national average since the financial crisis and subsequent recession. While rates remain high elsewhere, North
Dakota has kept its unemployment rate under 5% since December of 1987.
1293
US
Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-04-20 [DG:2350] [url="http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=1344"]One Year Interest Rate Swap At All Time
Low[/url]
[url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interest_rate_swap"]Interest rate swaps[/url], a derivative where parties exchange interest rate payments for
cash flow over a period of one to thirty years, are at an all-time low for one year swaps. The spread on swaps, after a near-collapse in
2006-2007, has fanned considerably since the recession began. This implies that debt-sellers gain much higher yields on long-term debt and
debt-buyers pay higher rates the longer the debt period.
1294
US
Housing
2011-04-20 [DG:47] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=47"] Housing Starts Jump in March[/url]
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
New private housing starts in the U.S. jumped 7.2% in March to 549,000 on a seasonally adjusted annualized basis from February, the
Commerce Department reported today. This reflects an upward revision of 33,000 units to February’s reported housing starts.
Housing starts in March were up 13.4% from a year ago, suggesting there is at least some life in the housing market despite severely
depressed home sales and prices that have yet to stabilize. However, the increase of 36,000 units in March does little to regain ground lost in
the recession and shows that we are still far from the long term average of 1.5 million annualized housing starts, without adjusting for
population which would make current housing starts appear even lower.
Housing starts have significantly lagged the long term average for the past 48 months and while home construction is unlikely to rebound for at
least several years, new construction in March suggests that buyers who have been waiting on the sidelines are now feeling comfortable
enough with the economy to invest in new homes.
1295
US
Housing
2011-04-20 [IM1:1242 ] [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2011/04/march-existing-home-sales-510-million.html"] Existing-Home Sales
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Commerce Department, reported by H. Patterson
Improved in March[/url]
Existing-home sales increased 3.7% in March from February, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reported today.
Home sales increased to 5.10 million on a seasonally adjusted annual rate, up from an upwardly revised 4.92 million homes sold in February.
1296
US
Economy
2011-04-21 [DG:2327] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2327&transpose="] Commercial Paper Outstanding Below
$400 billion[/url]
The asset-backed commercial paper outstanding stood at $357.3 billion as of April 18th, 2011 as per data released today. These securities,
generally used to finance short-term needs, stood at $1,200 billion in 2007 and have fallen since then. It can be an indication of banks
tightening their lending. Also, due to the recession, corporations have been vigilant of their spending and have put many projects on the back
burner.
1297
US
Economy
2011-04-21 [DG:2353] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2353&transpose="] US Coincident Economic Activity Index
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
Increases Further In March[/url]
The coincident index, a measure of nonfarm payroll employment, average hours worked in manufacturing, unemployment rate, and wage and
salary disbursements deflated by CPI, increased in March to 153.13. Although it decreased during the beginning of the recession, it has been
gaining upward traction since December 2009. This indicates the economy is continuing its slow, but steady recovery.
1298
US
Economy
--From the Philadelphia Federal Reserve and the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-04-22 [DG:2235] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2235&transpose="] M2 Money Stock Increases By
1.5%[/url]
M2 Less Small Time Deposits stood at $8,104.0 billion as of March 2011, as per data released today. Over a one month period, from February
2011 to March 2011, M2 Less Small Time Deposits increased by 1.5%.
1299
US
Housing
For more information on Money Supply Indicators, view the Data 360 report
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"]here. [/url]
2011-04-22 [DG:2355] [url=" http://data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2355&transpose= "] FHFA Index Shows Home Prices Fell in
February [/url]
U.S. home prices declined 1.6% in February from a month earlier on a seasonally adjusted basis, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)
reported today.
Home prices were down 5.7% from a year earlier and the previously reported monthly decline from December to January was revised down to
1% from 0.3%. Home prices have fallen 18.6% from their peak in April 2007.
Prices were down in all regions over the past year. The largest decline came from the Mountain Region where home prices fell 11.8%, followed
by the Pacific region where prices fell 8.7%. The East South Central region fared the best; prices there were down just 3%.
Today’s report shows the housing market has yet to find solid footing both nationally and regionally. Other recent data has been mixed; builder
confidence was down last month while home sales increased slightly. One major issue in the housing market is liquidity. Owners can’t get out
until home prices increase and prospective buyers can’t get access to credit to buy until banks are confident prices have stabilized.
1300
US
Housing
- From the Federal Housing Finance Agency, reported by H. Patterson
2011-04-25 [DG:2224] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2224"]New Home Sales Turned Positive in March [/url]
New single family home sales increased 11.1% in March from February on a seasonally adjusted basis, the Commerce Department reported
today.
300,000 new homes were sold in March at an annual rate, up from an upwardly revised 270,000 homes sold the prior month. New home sales
were down 21.9% from a year earlier while the median sales price declined 4.9% over the year.
Home sales remain severely depressed and have fallen 78% from the peak in July 2005 when 1.4 million new homes were sold. While this
uptick in sales is good for the home construction industry,
[url="http://www.data360.org/pub_dp_report.aspx?Data_Plot_Id=563&page=2&count=100"]builder confidence [/url] declined slightly this month.
Over the past year, home prices and sales fell while investor and cash purchases increased to 35% and 22% of all transactions, respectively.
Low interest rates and depressed prices have made real estate more attractive to investors; however, the market will not fully recover until
traditional buyers return.
1301
US
Economy
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Commerce Department, reported by H. Patterson
2011-04-25 [DG:2231] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2231&transpose="]Treasury Constant Maturity Rate At
3.42%[/url]
1302
US
Housing
2011-04-26 [DG:1952] [url="http://www.data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=1952"]Existing Home Prices Continue to Slide
[/url]
Home values in largest U.S. metropolitan areas declined an average of 3.3% in February from a year earlier according to the Case-Shiller
20-City Home Price Index, released today.
The index also showed prices in February fell 0.2% from January. All 20 cities in the index experienced declining home values over the past
year, led by Phoenix where prices were down 8.4%. Washington DC showed the smallest year-over-year decline at 2.7%.
The Case-Shiller report comes a day after the Commerce Department reported prices of new homes declined 4.9% in March.
While buying a home is more attractive now from a value perspective than it has been in many years, the market cannot recover until families
are on stable financial footing and feeling optimistic about long-term employment.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Commerce Department, reported by H. Patterson
1303
US
Economy
2011-04-27 [DG:2330] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2330&transpose="]Reserves At The Fed Earn A Meager
0.25%[/url]
The interest on required balances and excess balances stood unchanged at 0.25% as of April 18th, 2011 as per data released today. This is
the interest that the Federal Reserve pays banks on reserves maintained with it. The interest rate has remained at 0.25% since the end of
2008 when it dropped sharply from 1%.
This can be attributed to the government’s expansionary monetary policy to stimulate the economy. As a result, banks find it more attractive to
hand out higher interest earning loans than to maintain excess reserves with the Fed, thereby stimulating the economy.
1304
US
Housing
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
2011-04-27 [IM1:1243] [url="http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2011/04/q1-2011-homeownership-rate-at-1998.html"]Rental Vacancies
Increased while Homeownership Decreased in the First Quarter [/url]
The rental market weakened slightly in the first quarter of 2011 while the rate of homeownership fell, the Commerce Department reported
today.
National rental vacancy rates increased from 9.4% in Q4 2010 to 9.7% in Q1 2011, a change of 0.3%. This is the first increase in rental
vacancy rates since the third quarter of 2009 when vacancies hit 11.1%, the highest in at least 15 years. While vacancy rates in Q1 were
meaningfully lower than the 10.6% recorded a year ago, any uptick could come as a concern to investors who have been scooping up
distressed properties.
1305
US
Economy
The rate of homeownership was 66.4% in the first quarter, down from 66.5% in Q4 2010 and 67.1% a year earlier. The rate was 69% as
recently as 2006 and has been falling steadily since, however it is still significantly higher than the long-term average of about 65%. This
suggests the market has further room to correct downward, especially given the aging population, slack in the rental market and persistently
2011-04-28 [DG:230] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=230"] GDP Increases For 8th Consecutive Quarter[/url]
high unemployment.
The first quarter 2011 US GDP was at $15,006.4 billion. The GDP has been increasing steadily after the contractions during the first three
- From the Commerce Department and Calculated Risk, reported by H. Patterson
quarters of 2008. Although this is good news, Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke revised down GDP growth figured for the next few
years in his press conference held yesterday. Things should keep increases, though the pace will be slower than initially projected.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
1306
US
2011-04-29 [DG:2358] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2358&transpose="] Employment Cost Index Drifts Ever
EmploymentUpward [/url]
The employment cost index for wages and salaries in the private sector increased .4 in the first quarter of 2011. All the major employment cost
indicies increased this quarter as well. This indicates that the cost of having employees trends upward. During most of the recession this was
not true and compensation for employees stagnated, but has since started climbing again.
1307
US
Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-04-29 [DG:2359] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2359&transpose="]Reserve Balance At $1.47 trillion[/url]
The reserve balance with the Federal Reserve was $1.47 trillion as of April 25th, 2011 as per data released today. There has been a very
1308
US
Economy
2011-05-02 [DG:2316] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2316&transpose="] ISM Manufacturing Index Shows
Continued Expansion[/url]
The ISM Manufacturing Index, released today, was at 60.4, a slight decrease from last month. Manufacturing is still continuing its rapid
expansion seen over the past few months. This figure is one of many supporting the claim that the US is keeping up its climb out of recession.
Furthering this, the ISM Employment Index, a part of this release, has had the highest readings in the past 38 years during the last 5 months.
One possible factor promoting this large manufcaturing increase is the weak US dollar which puts downward pressure on export prices.
1309
US
Economy
2011-05-03 [DG:2360] [url="http://www.data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2360"]Durable Goods Orders Rose in March
--From the ISM and the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
[/url]
New orders for manufactured durable goods rose 2.9% in March, the third straight monthly increase, according to the Report on Manufacturers’
Shipments, Inventories and Orders, released today by the Commerce Department. This is an upward revision from a preliminary estimate of
2.5%, released in April.
New durable goods orders rose $5.9 billion in March to $209.5 billion. This is a 31% improvement over March 2009 when durable goods orders
fell to $160,500, the lowest level since 2002. It is also 11% higher than March 2010.
Adjusted for inflation, monthly durable goods orders have averaged $218 billion over the past decade. Today’s report shows that we are rapidly
approaching this average and should be seen as a very positive sign. However, the average doesn’t account for real GDP growth and relative
to the size of the economy the March orders are further below the long-term average than they appear.
The big question remaining is to what extent will the job market improve as a result of increased durable goods orders?
1310
US
Economy
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Commerce Department, reported by H. Patterson
2011-05-04 [DG:2243] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2243&transpose="]Commercial Paper Outstanding At $1.1
Trillion [/url]
Commercial paper outstanding stood at $1.1 trillion as of April 27th, 2011. It has increased by 0.06% over a one week period. But when
compared to a year ago (April 28, 2010), the commercial paper outstanding stood relatively unchanged.
The commercial paper outstanding, which are short term loans taken on by corporations, are still below the ten-year average. It could be that
though the economy is reviving, corporations are cautious when it comes to borrowing and thereby spending on projects.
1311
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
US
2011-05-04 [DG:2361] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2361&transpose="] ADP Employment Report Shows
EmploymentContinued Upward Trend[/url]
The ADP Employment Report, released today, says total nonfarm private employment is at 108,474,000, and increase of 179,000 from last
month. Total employment is now similar to where it was in February/March 2004. This may further claims that the US experienced a "lost
decade." Even so, climbing payroll numbers belie claims that the economy is looking like it might stall out.
1312
US
Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and ADP, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-05-05 [DG:2203] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2203&transpose="]M1 Money Multiplier At Its Lowest [/url]
The M1 Money Multiplier is at 0.74 as of 20th April 2011. This is the lowest level of the multiplier since the beginning of the data series in 1984.
Currently, very little cash and demand deposits are being generated for the common man for each dollar in the monetary base.
For more information on money supply indicators, view the Data 360
report[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"] here. [/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1313
US
2011-05-06 [DG:2245] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2245"] Unemployent Rate Is Up; Long-Term
EmploymentUnemployment Is Down[/url]
The unemployment rate in April increased .2% to 9% this month. The civilian employment-population ratio decreased .1% this month. Although
this all points in an unfortunate direction, there is some good news: the number of people unemployed 27 weeks or longer decreased 113,000
this month. This could be a bit of a double-edged sword: these figures may have decreased because people went past the limits for
unemployment benefits and were no longer measured (which would explain the corresponding decrease in the employment-population ratio) or
it could mean they're beginning to get jobs again. Long-term unemplyment is now back at fall of 2009 levels and has been trending down for a
1314
US
Economy
2011-05-09 [DG:2237] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2237&transpose="]Effective Federal Funds Rate At Its
Lowest [/url]
The effective federal funds rate, the rate at which banks lend to banks fell to 0.10% as of April 1st 2011 as per data released today. This has
been the lowest since 1954.
By lowering the federal funds rate, the government is making it easier for the public to borrow funds and in turn, increase spending to stimulate
a weak economy.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1315
US
Economy
2011-05-11 [DG:2213] [url="http://www.data360.org/adm_dsg_report.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2213"] Imports from China Increased in March
[/url]
Imports from China rose nearly 1.2% in March from February and are up 13.6% from a year earlier, the Commerce Department reported today.
Imports from China display a high degree of seasonality but the trend over the past several years has been upward despite the recession in the
U.S. In fact, March imports, measured in dollars and not adjusted for seasonality or inflation, are the highest on record at $27.6 billion. The
gains in March follow a 13% drop in imports from China in February.
The strength of imports from China means U.S demand is strong which could indicate an upswing in the business cycle.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Commerce Department, reported by H. Patterson
1316
US
2011-05-11 [DG:2251] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2251&transpose="] Three Million Job Openings Recorded
EmploymentIn March[/url]
There were 3.1 million job openings in March. This was a minor change from February. This is a 16% gain over March 2010. Since the
numbers have been increasing this year compared to last year we have yet more indicators that things may be looking brighter in the labor
market, though the slowed growth may indicate a stall is coming.
1317
US
Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-05-11 [DG:2271] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2271"] Import and Export Prices Reflect Surge in Fuel,
Agriculture Costs[/url]
Import prices rose 2.2% in April while export prices rose 1.1% in the month, the Commerce Department reported today.
Import prices have risen 11.1% in the past year, however, 80% of that increase is due to fuel costs which rose 6.7% in April and are up 34.8%
since April of last year. Excluding fuel, import prices rose 0.6% in April and were up 4.3% from a year earlier.
Export prices have risen 9.6% in the past year, led by agricultural prices which increased 0.6% in April and are up 35.3% since April of last
year. Corn and cotton prices rose 96.3% and 142.5%, respectively, over the past year. Excluding agricultural, export prices have increased
6.9% since April of last year.
While fuel prices are driving much of the increase in overall import prices, export prices have been driven by a multitude of factors, including
crop prices which are up dramatically but represent a small portion of overall exports.
The U.S. economy has seen inflation creep up through the CPI and while there is a lag, higher import and export prices signal further inflation
to come. This raises the question of when the Fed will begin to increase interest rates. Given that “core” import and export prices appear to be
above the Fed inflation comfort zone of around 2% we might see action soon even if unemployment remains high.
1318
US
Economy
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Commerce Department, reported by H. Patterson
2011-05-12 [DG:2219] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2219&transpose="] After Slump During Recession, Retail
and Food Services Sales At All-Time High[/url]
April retail and food service sales have fully recovered and since June of last year have increased quickly. April sales were at
$389,355,000,000, a .5% increase from last month. If they continue rising at this rate, they will hit the trend line set before the recession by the
end of the year.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
1319
US
Economy
2011-05-12 [DG:2352] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2352&transpose="]Producer Price Index Increases [/url]
The Producer Price Index stood at 176.9 as of April 1st, 2011 as per data released today.
The index increased by 2.1% when compared to a year ago. It indicates that the price of commodities is witnessing inflation.
For more information on CPI and PPI, view the Data360 report [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=169"]
here.[/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1320
US
Economy
2011-05-13 [DG:2217] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2217"]Consumer Price Index Increases by 3% [/url]
As per data released today, the consumer price index for all items (CPI) was at 224.433 as of April 2011. The CPI increased by 3.13% when
compared to a year ago.
This implies that the average price paid by urban consumers for a certain basket of goods has increased by 3% over a one year period.
For more information on CPI and PPI, view the Data360 report [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=169"]
here.[/url]
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1321
US
Housing
2011-05-17 [DG:47] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=47"] Housing Starts Drop in April [/url]
New private housing starts in the U.S. dropped 10.6% in April from a month earlier, the Commerce Department reported today. This drop
comes after a 12.9% increase in March, which reflects an upward revision to initially reported starts in that month.
Private housing starts were down to 523,000 at an annual rate in April, significantly below the 585,000 recorded in March. Starts in April were
also down 23.9% from a year earlier when the rate was 687,000.
Despite rebounds in many areas of the economy, the housing sector, which led us unto the recession, has yet to gain any significant traction.
While some buyers are coming back to the market, notably cash and investment buyers, the masses will not return until unemployment drops
to more normal levels for an extended period.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Commerce Department, reported by H. Patterson
1322
US
Economy
2011-05-18 [DG:2330] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2330&transpose="]Interest On Excess Reserves Remains
Unchanged [/url]
The St. Louis Fed has released data today according to which the interest rate paid on excess reserve balances (Institutions with 1- week
maintenance period) was at 0.25% as of May 9th, 2011.
This interest rate witnessed a steep fall from 1% to 0.25% in December 2008. Ever since, it has remained unchanged.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1323
US
Economy
2011-05-19 [DG:2327] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2327&transpose="]Commercial Paper Outstanding At
$384.0 Billion [/url]
Asset-Backed Commercial Paper Outstanding stood at $384.0 billion as of May 18th, 2011 as reported by the St. Louis Fed today.
This commercial paper outstanding has fallen from $432.0 billion in May 2010 to $384.0 billion in May 2011. It has decreased by 12.5% when
compared to a year ago.
1324
US
Economy
2011-05-23 [DG:2204] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2204&transpose="]Prime Bank Loan Rate at 3.25% [/url]
The St. Louis Fed reported today that the Prime Bank Loan Rate stands at 3.25%. The rate that banks charge their customers who have a
good credit standing has remained unchanged since 2009.
This rate decreased by almost 50% from 6.98% in January 2008 to 3.25% in January 2009 and is the same at present.
- From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1325
1326
1327
US
Economy
US
Economy
US
Economy
2011-05-24 [DG:2353] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2353&transpose="] US State Coincident Index Continuing
Increase[/url]
The all-state State Coincident Index increased .58 in April to a total of 153.54. This is another in the slight increases seen each month since
bottoming out in October 2009. In an interesting contrast, this index shows that the US is still well below pre-recession levels which peaked in
January 2008. Many other measurements--including unemployment and the ISM manufacturing index, indicate much stronger growth and
levels much closer to their pre-recession values. This index measures nonfarm payroll, average hours worked in manufacturing,
unemployment, and wage and salary disbursements deflated by CPI.
2011-05-25 [DG:2362] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2362&transpose="] US Income Percentiles Show Clear
Gains For Married Couples[/url]
--From the St. Louis and Philadelphia Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
The Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center released income percentiles based on 2011 tax filings with some surprising results. Although it is
well-known that married couples in the United States have a considerable legal edge over their single counterparts, data from 2011 tax filings
indicate this discrepancy is very large. The 99th income percentile for singles is $193,307 and for married couples filing jointly it is $761,938.
This provides solid evidence for claims that marriage is a powerful tool for wealth building. In addition, for all tax units combined (including
single, married, and head of household), incomes over $100,000 begin at the 82nd percentile.
2011-05-26 [DG:230] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=230&transpose="] GDP Sees Small Gain in Q1 2011[/url]
--From the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, reported by Daniel Saniski
Nominal US GDP, released today, was at 15,010.3 billion dollars in Q1 2011. The gap between nominal and real GDP is growing considerably
and the increase in nominal GDP is a small .9%. This stall-out comes amidst an increase in initial unemployment claims and a big uptick in
imports compared to exports. If these figures continue on this path through the second quarter the sluggish recovery may be compromised.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, reported by Daniel Saniski
1328
US
2011-06-01 [DG:2361] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2361&transpose="] Total Nonfarm Payroll Continues Slow
EmploymentClimb[/url]
The ADP Employment Report, released today, listed the total nonfarm payroll for May at 108,506,000. This is an increase of 38,000 from last
month. ADP's figures have shown the US payroll has been slowly increasing since bottoming out in January of 2010.
--from the ADP and the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
1329
US
Economy
2011-06-02 [DG:2243] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2243&transpose="] Commercial Paper Outstanding At
$1196.8 Billion[/url]
As per data released today, commercial paper outstanding stood at $1196.8 billion as of June 1st, 2011.
Compared to a year ago, commercial paper outstanding grew by 12.6% from $1062.8 billion in June 2010 to $1196.8 billion at present. This
indicates a positive environment for businesses as borrowing has increased.
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1330
US
2011-06-03 [DG:44] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=44"] Unemployment Rate Increased .1% In May[/url]
Employment
The US unemployment rate increased in May to 9.1%. This is the second month in a row of increased unemployment after substantial
decreases between November 2010 and March 2011. The employment to population ratio held steady this month and the BLS reported a tiny
payroll increase of 54,000 jobs--a number comparable to ADP's 38,000 increase posted earlier this week. While short-term unemployment was
down this month, people unemployed for 27 weeks or longer increased a shocking 6% indicating that problems are mounting for those
currently without work.
1331
US
Economy
2011-06-06 [DG:2204] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2204&transpose="] Prime Bank Loan Rate Remains
Unchanged[/url]
The prime bank loan rate stands at 3.25% as per data released today. This rate has remained constant since the end of December 2008.
The prime bank loan rate declined sharply from around 8% in the middle of 2007 to 3.25 % in December 2008. The US government, to
stimulate the economy post the recession, would have intentionally lowered this rate. But it is almost over two years since then and this rate
has remained unchanged.
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1332
US
2011-06-07 [DG:2251] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2251&transpose="] Job Openings Down In April[/url]
Employment
Total nonfarm job openings were down 4.8% in April to 2,972,000. Total hires were also down 2.3% in April. Thankfully, total separations were
down 1.6% as well. This supports the recent employment report figures indicating that payrolls have been experiencing slow increases the past
few months. If the 54,000 jobs added to the economy in May are any indication, the job opening and labor turnover data for May should be
even more meager.
1333
US
Economy
--From the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-06-08 [DG:2330] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2330&transpose="] Interest on Required and Excess
Balances at 0.25%[/url]
The interest that Federal Reserve banks pay on balances held to satisfy reserve requirements as well as the excess balances stood
unchanged at 0.25%.
This rate dropped sharply from 1% to 0.25% at the end of 2008 post the recession. The US government may have lowered the rate to stimulate
more spending. But two years hence, the government has not raised rates which could mean that the economy is not yet back on track.
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1334
US
Economy
2011-06-10 [DG:2365] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2365&transpose="] M2 at $8.17 Trillion [/url]
As per data released this week by the St. Louis Fed, M2 less small time deposits stood at $8.17 trillion as of April 1st, 2011.
Compared to a year ago, M2 less small time deposits increased 8% from $7.5 trillion in April 2010 to $8.17 trillion in April 2011. A lot of money
is being flushed into the economy to promote growth post the recession in 2008.
For more information on money supply indicators, please view the Data360 report
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"]here.[/url]
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1335
US
Economy
2011-06-13 [DG:2237] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2237&transpose="] Federal Funds Rate at 0.09% [/url]
The effective federal funds rate has reached an all time low of 0.09%. This may be due to excess funds available with banks enabling them to
lend at such low interest rates for the short-term.
For more information on money supply indicators, please view the Data360 report
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"]here.[/url]
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1336
US
Economy
2011-06-14 [DG:2219] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2219&transpose="] May 2011 Retail Sales Down .2%[/url]
Retail and food services for May were down .2% to $387,117,000,000. This follows the slow down seen in the past few months--March and
April 2011 saw meager gains and now May had the first decrease since June of 2010. Although sales were down this month they are 7.7%
higher than May of 2010.
1337
US
Economy
2011-06-15 [DG:2217] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2217&transpose="] CPI Increases By 3.44%[/url]
The Consumer Price Index for all urban customers for all items increased by 3.44% when compared to a year ago. In May 2010, the CPI was
at 217.320 and has increased to 224.804 in May 2011.
The same basket of goods cost about 3% more compared to a year ago. There has been an increase in money supply as a result of monetary
easing. This could be the reason for the increase in CPI.
For more information on CPI, please view the Data360 report [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=169"]here.[/url]
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1338
US
Economy
2011-06-20 [DG:2231] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2231&transpose="] Treasury Constant Maturity Rate At
2.93%[/url]
The ten-year treasury constant maturity rate, as per data released today, stands at 2.93% as of June 16th, 2011. This rate has decreased by
about 0.34% from 3.27% in June 2010 to 2.93% at present.
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1339
US
Economy
2011-06-21 [DG:2349] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2349"] North Dakota's Unemployment Rate Continues
Decline In Spite of Rising National Rate[/url]
While unemployment has been increasing in recent weeks in most places, North Dakota decreased .1% in May to 3.2% unemployment. This is
far below the national average of 9.1% or California's average of 11.7%, though that also decreased .1% in May. It is truly incredible that North
Dakota has kept these incredibly low rates in spite of the unemployment troubles seen across the rest of the nation.
1340
US
Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-06-22 [DG:2333] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2333&transpose="] Interest Rate Remains At 0.25%[/url]
Interest Rate Paid on Required Reserve Balances remains at 0.25% since December 2008. This rate took a sharp fall from 1.4% in the
beginning of 2008 to 0.25% at the end of the same year post the economic collapse.
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1341
US
Economy
2011-06-27 [DG:2204] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2204&transpose="]Prime Bank Loan Rate At 3.25%[/url]
As per data released by the St. Louis Fed, the Prime Bank Loan Rate stood at 3.25% as of May 2011. This prime rate has remained constant
at 3.25% since January 2009. It decreased sharply from 6.98% in January 2008 to 3.25% twelve months later. As a result, banks now offer
cheap loans to their most credit-worthy customers due to an expansionary monetary policy.
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1342
US
Housing
2011-06-28 [DG:1010] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=1010"]Housing Prices Rise Slightly for the First Time in
Eight Months[/url]
In April 2011 the Case-Shiller 20-City composite index rose .7%. This is the first increase in eight months. The biggest increases this month
happened in Washinton, San Francisco, Atlanta and Seattle with gains of 3%, 1.7%, 1.6%, and 1.6%, respectively. Detriot, at -2.9%, had the
only major April loss. In general, most gains and losses were minimal. For more information, see our housing prices
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=110"]report[/url].
1343
US
Economy
2011-06-29 [DG:2333] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2333"]Interest on Reserve Balances At 0.25%[/url]
--From Case Shiller and the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
The interest rate paid on required reserve balances continues to remain at 0.25% as of June 20th, 2011. The US Government, by offering very
little incentive for balances kept as reserves by banks, may be trying to encourage them to lend more and thereby stimulate the economy.
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1344
US
Economy
2011-07-01 [DG:2316] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2316&transpose="] ISM Manufacturing Index Up In
June[/url]
The ISM PMI Composite index increased 1.8 points to 55.3 this month. This is welcome news after the 6.9 point drop between April and May.
In addition, the employment index jumped to 59.9 and the prices index continued its sharp decline, dropping 8.5 points to 68. The
manufacturing index has been above 50 for two years.
1345
US
Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-07-06 [DG:2231] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2231&transpose="] Treasury Rate At 3.22%[/url]
As per data released today, the ten year treasury constant maturity rate stood at 3.22%. This rate has increased by 0.26% from 2.96 in July
2010 to 3.22% at present. This rate has remained with the range of 2.75% to 3.75% over the last year.
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1346
1347
US
Economy
US
Economy
2011-07-07 [DG:2361] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2361&transpose="] June Employment Data Shows Meager
Workforce Gains[/url]
Initial unemployment claims declined to 418,000 thousand this week and the ADP's June employment report showed an increase of 157,000
nonfarm jobs.That's the good news. The unemployment rate increased slightly to 9.2%, but so did the BLS' nonfarm payroll increase at
+18,000 jobs. Although holding steady is not by itself bad news, the employment-population ratio declined to 58.2% meaning that, once again,
the data seems better than it should because people have stopped seeking work and thus are no longer counted. See our full employment
report [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"]here[/url].
2011-07-11 [DG:2237] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2237&transpose="] Effective Federal Funds Rate At
0.09%[/url]
--From the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
The effective federal funds rate stood at 0.09% as of June 2011 as per data released today. This rate has decreased by half when compared
to 0.18% in June 2010. Over the last decade, the rate was at an all time high in 2006 and has been gradually decreasing subsequently.
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1348
US
Economy
2011-07-12 [DG:2272] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2272&transpose="] US Trade Deficit Increased
Dramatically in May [/url]
The US trade deficit increased 15% in May to $50.2 billion dollars. The deficit has been under $50 billion since October 2008 and had been
stable or decreasing through 2011. The trade deficit with China also increased 15% this month to $25 billion. The deficit with Canada was at
$2.7 billion and and $6.3 billion with Mexico.
1349
1350
US
Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-07-12 [DG:2372] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2372&transpose="] Total Nonfarm Hires and Separations
Near Parity in May[/url]
US
Economy
Total May nonfarm hires were at 4,070,000 and separations were at 4,059,000, a difference of only 11,000. Job openings remained close to
April rising 21,000 to 2,974,000. As can be seen in the graph, hires and separations have been drawing closer the past few months and as the
historical data shows this generally indicates separations will begin to outpace hires. For more information, see the chart of total
[url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2253&transpose="]hires[/url], total
[url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2255&transpose="]separations[/url], and
2011-07-13 [IM1:1245] [url="http://www.data360.org/image_view.aspx?Uploaded_Image_Id=1245"] Mortgage Purchase Applications at 1997
[url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2251&transpose="]job openings[/url].
Levels[/url]
--From the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
Weekly mortgage applications were down 5.1% for the week ending July 8th with an adjustment made for the 4th of July holiday. In addition,
the average rate for a 30 year mortgage declined to 4.55% and the 15 year mortgage rate declined to 3.68%. This continues the slow pace of
home purchases seen this summer.
1351
US
Economy
--From the Mortgage Bankers Association and Calculated Risk Blog, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-07-14 [DG:2351] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2351&transpose="] Producer Price Index At 177.8 [/url]
As per data released today, the producer price index of finished goods less food and energy stood at 177.9. When compared to a year ago, the
index has increased by 2.3% from 173.8 in June 2010 to 177.9 in June 2011. The index moved up 0.3% in June 2011 from the previous month
and according to the BLS, about half the rise is linked to the price of light motor trucks.
1352
US
Economy
2011-07-15 [DG:2217] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2217&transpose="] Consumer Price Index At 224.304
[/url]
The consumer price index of all urban consumers for all items stood at 224.304 as of June 2011 as per data released today. The CPI
increased by about 3.3% when compared to a year ago when it was 216.865 in June 2010.The same basket of goods cost about 3.3% more
when compared to last year.
However, the CPI decreased by 0.2% when compared to May 2011. This decrease can be greatly attributed to the decrease in the gasoline
index which fell by 6.8% over the same period.
1353
US
Economy
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve and Bureau of Labor Statistics, reported by Disha Bheda
2011-07-19 [DG:47] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=47&transpose="] Housing Starts Increased in June [/url]
Housing starts jumped 15% this month to 629,000. They also increased 17% compared to last June. Although these numbers are a positive
sign, housing starts are still historically low and currently at 50% of their October 2007 rates. For more information about housing, see the
Data360 housing [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=82"]report[/url]
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
1354
US
Economy
2011-07-21 [DG:2243] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2243&transpose="] Commercial Paper Outstanding At $
1207.5 Billion [/url]
As per data released today, commercial paper outstanding stood at $1207.5 billion. When compared to twelve months ago, the commercial
paper outstanding has increased by 8.9% from $1099.6 billion.
This indicates that more short-term unsecured loans are being taken, probably a sign of increasing economic activity when compared to the
previous year.
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1355
US
Economy
2011-07-25 [DG:41] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=41&transpose="] Federal Funds Rate At 0.06% [/url]
As per data released today by the St. Louis Federal Reserve, the effective federal funds rate stood at 0.06% as of July 22nd, 2011. This rate
stood at 0.18% a year ago in 2011. Currently, it is at an all time low.
This interest rate, an indicator of the interest rate banks charge each other, may be low in order to increase borrowing and thereby stimulate a
weak economy.
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1356
US
Economy
2011-07-26 [DG:1010] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=1010&transpose="] Composite-20 Home Price Index
Increases 1% in May[/url]
The S&P Case-Shiller home price indices, released today, posted a 1% increase for the composite-20 index bringing it to 139.87. The 10 city
index also increased 1% making it 153.64. Both the 20 and 10 city indices are down compared to one year ago at -4.5% and -3.6%,
respectively. With the exceptions of Detroit and Las Vegas every city's prices increased in May.
1357
US
Economy
-From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-07-27 [DG:2215] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2215&transpose="] Monetary Base At $2725.303
Billion[/url]
As per data released today, the St. Louis Adjusted Monetary Base stood at $2725.303 billion as of July 13th, 2011.
Over the last twelve months, the monetary base has increased by 25% from $2027.843 bn in 2010 to $2725.303 bn in 2011.
This is an indication that a lot of money has been pumped into the economy and is in the hands of consumers and in commercial bank deposits
over the last year.
For more information on money supply, view the Data360 report [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"] here.
[/url]
1358
US
Economy
2011-07-29 [DG:230] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=230&transpose="] GDP Growth Slow in the 2nd Quarter of
2011[/url]
Real GDP increased .3% to 13,270.1 billion chained 2005 dollars. This is a small improvemnt over the previous quarter's revised figures which
show a nearly flat increase of 11 billion chained 2005 dollars. Federal, State, and local investments, part of GDP calculations, have all
decreased for the third quarter in a row. All other contributing figures increased this quarter. For more information see our GDP
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=170"]report[/url].
1359
US
Economy
2011-08-01 [DG:2308] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2308&transpose="] Mortgage Rate At 4.51%[/url]
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
According to data released today, the 30 year conventional mortgage rate stands at 4.51% as of June 1st, 2011. In June 2010, this rate stood
at 4.74%.
The mortgage rate has been fluctuating between 4.5% and 5.2% over the last twelve months. When compared to the last three decades, rates
have been at an all time low the past year.
-From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1360
US
Economy
2011-08-02 [DG:2316] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2316&transpose="]July ISM Manufacturing Index Stalls
Out[/url]
The ISM manufcaturing index decreased 8% to 50.9 in July. The employment index dropped nearly 11% to 53.5. These large drops bring the
manufacturing sector close to contracting for the first time since July of 2009. These figures provide yet another sign of a greater economic
slowdown.
1361
US
Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-08-03 [DG:2361] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2361&transpose="] ADP Reports 114,000 Jobs Created in
July [/url]
According to the ADP employment report, the economy added 114,000 jobs, an increase of .1%, in July. This is slower than last month's
increase of 145,000 jobs and payroll is up 1.5% compared to last July. These figures are not especially negative considering the ISM
employment index decreased significantly this week. The Bureau of Labor Statistics releases it's full employment report on Friday and given
these two conflicting employment figures the results should prove interesting.
1362
US
Economy
2011-08-04 [DG:2243] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2243&transpose="] Commercial Paper Outstanding At $
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
1173 Billion [/url]
As per data released today, commercial paper outstanding stood at $1173 billion. When compared to twelve months ago, the commercial
paper outstanding has increased by 6.9% from $1096.5 billion.
This indicates that more short-term unsecured loans are being taken, probably a sign of increasing economic activity when compared to the
previous year.
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1363
US
Economy
2011-08-08 [DG:2289] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2289"] Moodys AAA Bond Yield At 4.93% [/url]
As of July 2011, Moodys Seasoned AAA Corporate Bond Yield stood at 4.93%.
This yield is an indicator of the yield on bonds whose maturities remain close to 30 years and those which have an AAA rating from Moodys.
The current yield is one of the lowest in the last four decades.
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1364
US
Economy
2011-08-09 [DG:2378] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2378"] Jobs Per Million Dollars Corporate Profit Dropped
94% Since 2000[/url]
Supply-side economics leads us to assume that profitable companies will hire more workers. In a parallel political argument, members of
congress regularly state that increased corporate taxes will kill jobs. But what does the data say? When comparing private jobs openings with
1365
US
Economy
2011-08-10 [DG:2251] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2251&transpose="] Job Openings Continued Slow, Steady
Climb in June[/url]
The June figures for the Job Openings and Labor Turnover reported an increase of 2.4% to 3,109,000 job openings. New hires were down
1.8% to 4,051,000, but total separations were down 3% to 4,016,000.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
1366
US
Economy
2011-08-11 [DG:2272] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2272&transpose="] Trade Balance Continues Steep
Decline[/url]
The June 2011 International Trade in Goods and Services figures released today decreased 4.4% to -$53,067,000,000. Influencing this
decrease was a 4.9% increase in imports from China and a decrease of exports to China, Canada, Japan, Mexico, and France. Japanese
imports increased 14% this month--a clear indication that Japan is recovering from the April earthquake. Exports to Germany and the UK
increased slightly.
1367
US
Economy
2011-08-15 [DG:2237] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2237&transpose="] Effective Federal Funds Rate At
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
0.07%[/url]
As per data released today, the effective federal funds rate stood at 0.07% as of July 1st, 2011. The rate is at an all time low at present.
With the federal fund rate at a low, borrowing is being made easier. Money is being flooded into the economy to encourage spending and
business activity.
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1368
US
Economy
2011-08-16 [DG:47] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=47&transpose="] Housing Starts Decline in July After Three
Month Increase[/url]
Housing starts declined 1.4% to 604,000 units in July. One-unit structures declined sharply by 5% to 425,000. Given the very poor performance
of the housing sector in the past few years, a decline at the height of summer is bad news. The reasons for this are numerous: requirements
for securing a mortgage are significantly higher than before the crash. In addition, some regions still have unusually high vacancy rates for both
homes and aparments which would also drive down new home construction.
1369
US
Economy
2011-08-17 [DG:2328] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2328&transpose="] Producer Price Index At 191.4[/url]
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
As per data released today by the St. Louis Federal Reserve, the producer price index for finished goods stood at 191.4. It has increased by
0.2% over a one month period from 191 in June 2011 to 191.4 in July 2011. Over the last twelve months, it has increased by 6.6% from 178.6
in July 2010 to 191.4 in July 2011.
Contributing to the rise in this index were prices of finished goods including food but excluding finished energy goods which declined.
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1370
US
Economy
2011-08-18 [DG:2217] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2217&transpose="] Consumer Price Index At 225.42[/url]
As per data released today, the consumer price index of all urban consumers for all items stood at 225.42 as of July 2011. The index increased
very little from 224.30 in June 2011 to 225.42 in July 2011. When compared to a year ago, the CPI increased by 3.59%.
For more information on CPI, view the Data360 report [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=169"]here.[/url]
--from the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1371
US
Economy
2011-08-22 [DG:2231] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2231&transpose="] Treasury Constant Maturity Rate at
2.08% [/url]
The ten-year treasury constant maturity rate was at 2.08% as of August 18th,2011 as per data released today. This rate is at an all time low at
present. Only once before, in December 2008 did this rate reach such a low point.
1372
US
Economy
2011-08-23 [DG:2224] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2224&transpose="]New Single Family Homes Sold in July
Still at Historic Lows[/url]
There were 298,000 new single family homes sold in July making this month the 8th worst on record. New home sales decreased 2,000 from
last month and were up 7% over July of 2010, but down 27% compared to July of 2009. It seems the slow economic gains this past quarter
combined with increased scrutiny of new mortgage lending have kept new home sales at their worst since data tracking began in 1963.
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Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-08-25 [DG:2243] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2243&transpose="]Commercial Paper Outstanding At
$1,117.1bn [/url]
As of August 25th, 2011, commercial paper outstanding stood at $1,117.1 bn as per data released today. Over the last week, the commercial
paper outstanding has decreased by 2.5% but when compared to the last twelve months, has increased by about the same percentage points
from 1086.9 bn in August 2010.
1374
US
Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
2011-08-26 [DG:230] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=230&transpose="]Second Quarter Revised Real GDP at
$13,260.5 Billion Dollars[/url]
Revised second quarter GDP figures show nominal GDP increased .8% between the first and second quarters while real GDP increased .2%.
Although most components increased slightly, federal, state, and local have all decreased. State and local government gross investment was
down a troubling 1.5%. These numbers further provide evidence that US economic growth is quite slow and in danger of another recession.
1375
US
Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-08-29 [DG:2231] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2231&transpose="]Treasury Rate At 2.23% [/url]
As per data released today, the ten year treasury constant maturity rate stood at 2.23% as of August 25th, 2011. Twelve months ago, this rate
was at 2.54%.
This rate has been hovering between 2% and 4% since 2008 and is at the lower end of the spectrum currently as a result of the government’s
quantitative easing measures.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
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US
Economy
2011-08-30 [DG:1010] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=1010"]June Case Shiller 10 and 20-city Indices Up From
May, Down From Last Year[/url]
The 10-city index was at 154.88 in June, an increase of 1% from last month. The 20-city index also increased 1% to 141.30. However,
compared to last June the indicies are down 3.8% and 4.5%, respectively. This shows that summer home purchasing improved, but there are
systematic problems in the housing market that continue to force prices downward. In an effort to help combat the ever-dropping real estate
prices the government is considering a move to help consumers
[url="http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2011/08/30/will-refinancing-stimulate-the-economy-2/"] refinance[/url] their mortgages and they plan on
[url="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-08-29/u-s-struggles-as-biggest-seller-of-homes-in-buyers-market.html"]selling[/url] massive
amounts of government-controlled, foreclosed properties back to private investors. It's unclear if these moves will help make a turnaround.
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US
Economy
2011-08-31 [DG:2361] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2361&transpose="] August ADP Employment Report Still
See our [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=82"]housing report[/url] for more extensive coverage.
Below Recession-Year Levels[/url]
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
The ADP employment report for August posted an increase of 91,000 jobs to 108,849,000. Although this is a miniscule increase, employment
is up 1.5% over last year. This is the highest employment number since April 2009. It's clear that the US is having difficulty getting employment
back even to recession levels.
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US
Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-09-02 [DG:44] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=44"] No New Jobs Added In August [/url]
Total Nonfarm payroll for August was reported today as equal to July at 131,132,000 jobs. No new jobs were added to the economy in August.
The unemployment rate held steady at 9.1%. On the positive side, the number of people unemployed for six months or longer decreased 2.4%.
Both the employment-population ratio and the labor force participation rate increased .1% indicating that more people are looking for work even
if they aren't finding it. The BLS figures challenge the slightly more positive ADP employment report from earlier this week which posted gains
of 91,000 jobs. With Hurricane Irene recently passed both adding some jobs and removing others, the September figures should prove equally
interesting.
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Economy
2011-09-06 [DG:2204] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2204&transpose="] Prime Bank Loan Rate At 3.25%[/url]
As per data released today, the prime bank loan rate stood at 3.25% as of July 2011. This rate has remained at 3.25% since January 2009.
Prior to the recession, this rate hovered at about 6.98% in January 2008.
The current low levels might be due to the government’s measure to stimulate the economy by making borrowing cheap.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
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US
Economy
2011-09-07 [DG:2251] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2251"] July Job Openings Improve Slightly[/url]
According to the July JOLTS figures, total private job openings increased 1.8% to 3.2 million. Compared to last July, job openings are up
13.3%. Although the increase in job openings is a good sign, both total hires and total separations were down.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
1381
US
Economy
2011-09-08 [DG:2209] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2209&transpose="] M2 Money Stock At $9539.6 Billion
[/url]
As per data released by the St. Louis Fed, M2 Money Stock stood at $9539.6 Billion as of Aug 22nd, 2011. The year-on-year percentage
change in this measure stood at 10.21%.
M2 is a broad measure of the financial assets held by households. Whether the increase in M2 is a result of more savings due to decreased
consumer confidence in the economy or a result of inflation and the time value of money is to be debated.
For more information on money supply, view the Data360 report
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"]here.[/url]
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
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US
Economy
US
Economy
2011-09-08 [DG:2272] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2272&transpose="] US Balance of Payments Increases in
July[/url]
The US balance of payments--or exports less imports--increased 13% to -44.8 billion in July. Both imports to and exports from China increased
as well as imports from Japan. However, both imports and exports from every other major trade partner descreased in July. Imports and
exports to Canada, the US' largest trading partner, decreased by 5.7% and 8%, respectively. Clearly, the economic slowdown this summer
expanded to yet another measure. Since both imports and exports are down it implies that other nations have been experiencing comporable
difficulties.
2011-09-09 [DG:2215] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2215&transpose="] Monetary Base At $2,679.48 Bn [/url]
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
As per data released today, the St. Louis Adjusted Monetary Base stands at $2,679.48 bn as of August 2011. The monetary base, an indicator
of currency in circulation with public or commercial bank deposits with the central bank has increased by 24.8% over the last twelve months. In
August 2010, this money supply indicator stood at $2,013.85 bn.
This illustrates the extent to which money has been pumped into the economy to stimulate economic activity post the recession.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1384
US
Economy
2011-09-12 [DG:2231] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2231&transpose="] Treasury Maturity Rate At 2% [/url]
The ten-year treasury constant maturity rate stood at 2% as of Sep 8th, 2011. This rate stood at 2.77% a year ago on Sep 8th, 2011. During
the last twelve months, the rate has fallen gradually.
The treasury constant maturity rate, an indicator of yields on treasury securities with the same maturity period has been decreasing. Is this due
to decreased confidence in the stock market which has increased the demand for US treasury securities or is it due to the government
intentionally keeping yields low to increase economic activity can be debated.
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US
Economy
2011-09-13 [DG:2271] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2271&transpose="] Export Price Index Up, Import Price
Index Down[/url]
The US export price index increased .7 to 134.8 and the import price index decreased .5 to 142. These figures indicate increased dollar
strength. When the US dollar is weaker imports get more expensive. After last month's declining figure, these increases are a positive sign.
--From the St. Louis Federal Resereve, reported by Daniel Saniski
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US
Economy
2011-09-14 [DG:2218] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2218&transpose="] US Inventory to Sales Ratio Declines
.1[/url]
The US inventory to sales ratio released as part of the Manufacturing and Trade Inventories and Sales decreased .1 to 1.27. This indicates that
sales picked up in July. Given that July was a weak month for other economic indicators, but August was strong, this ratio will probably
continue its decrease next month.
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US
Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Resereve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-09-20 [DG:2217] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2217&transpose="] Consumer Price Index At 226.27[/url]
As per data released by the St.Louis Federal Reserve, the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for All Items stood at 226.27 as of
August 2011. Over the past twelve months, this CPI number has increased by 3.76% from 218.1 in August 2010. More money is being
circulated in the economy, probably due to the government’s quantitative easing measures.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1388
US
Economy
2011-09-21 [DG:2330] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2330&transpose="] Interest Rate On Required Balances
Remains At 0.25%[/url]
As per data released today, the interest rate on required balances remains at 0.25% as of September 21st, 2011. This rate has remained
constant since the end of December 2008. Prior to the recession of 2008, this rate stood at about 1% after which it took a steep fall to the
current level of 0.25%
1389
US
Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
2011-09-22 [DG:2243] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2243&transpose= "] Commercial Paper Outstanding At
$1,029.8 Billion[/url]
As per data released today, the commercial paper outstanding stood at $1,029.8 Billion as of September 19th, 2011. Commercial paper which
primarily comprises of short-term promissory notes issued by corporations has decreased by 3% from $1063.8 billion in Sep 2010 to $1029.8
billion at present.
1390
US
Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
2011-09-26 [DG:2237] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2237&transpose= "] Effective Federal Funds Rate At
0.10%[/url]
As per data released today, the effective federal funds rate stood at 0.10% as of August 2011. This rate decreased from 0.19% in August 2010
to 0.10% at present. But compared to July 2011, the rate increased from 0.07% to 0.10% at present.
Over the course of the last year, it has become cheaper for banks to borrow from each other.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1391
US
Housing
2011-09-27 [DG:1010] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=1010&transpose="] Case Shiller Indicies Increased nearly
1% in July [/url]
The Case Shiller 10-city home price indexed increased .8% to 156.23 in July. The 20-city index increased .9% to 142.77. Compared to one
year ago, the 10-city is down 3.7% and the 20-city is down 4.1%. Las Vegas, Minneapolis, and Phoenix all decreased slightly while all other
tracked cities either remained the same or increased slightly.
For more information see our [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=110"]Home Price Index Report[/url].
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
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US
Economy
2011-09-28 [DG:2360] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2360&transpose="] New Durable Goods Orders Declined
.1% in August[/url]
New durable goods orders declined .1% to 201.7 billion dollars according to the Commerce Department's Manufacturer's Shipments,
Inventories, and Orders Survey. Although not a good data point, the graph clearly shows there is some month-to-month variability that belies
the trend. Although this month's figure is lower, the data is clearly trending upwards towards mid-2005 levels. New orders are 12.3% higher
than August 2010 and 35.7% higher than April 2009, the lowest recorded value during the recession.
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US
2011-09-29 [DG:2234] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2234&transpose="] Initial Weekly Unemployment Claims
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
Unemployment
Dropped 8.6% Last Week[/url]
Initial Weekly Unemployment Claims Dropped 8.6% to 391,000 for the week of September 19-23. This is the lowest number of weekly claims in
the past six months. As a result, the four-week average dropped 1.2% to 417,000. Although this one-week figure is encouraging, the data
needs to trend this way for some time before any real optimism about unemployment could surface.
For further information, check out our [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"]Employment Report[/url].
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
1394
US
Economy
2011-09-30 [DG:2215] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2215&transpose="] Monetary Base At $2,679.440 Billion
[/url]
The St. Louis Adjusted Monetary Base stood at $2,679.440 billion as of August 2011 as per data released today. This number decreased by
1% from $ 2,706.770 billion in July 2011. But over the last twelve months, the monetary base has increased sharply from $2,013.850 billion in
August 2010 by 33%.
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Economy
For more information, view the Data360 Money Supply report [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=168"]here.[/url]
2011-10-03 [DG:2316] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2316&transpose="] ISM Manufacturing Index Increased 1
Point in August[/url]
After two months just above 50 the ISM Manufacturing Index for September increased 2% to 51.6. This implies the manufacturing economy is
expanding at an increased pace. Having been in decline since February with a peak of 61.4, an increase is a welcomed sight. The index has
been above 50 since July of 2009. A value above 50 indicates manufacturing is expanding.
1396
US
Economy
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
2011-10-04 [DG:2179] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2179&transpose="] Manufacturers’ New Orders At $67,470
Million [/url]
Manufacturers’ New Orders – Nondefense Capital Goods Excluding Aircraft stood at $67,470 million as of August 2011 as per data released
today. These new orders increased by 8.28% from $62,310 million in Auguest 2010. Currently, the new orders are almost the same level of
$67,527 million in July 2008 which is before the 2008 recession took place.
1397
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
US
2011-10-05 [DG:2361] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2361&transpose="] ADP Employment Report Posts Gains
Employmentof 91,000 Jobs in September[/url]
The ADP Employment Report, released today, showed gains of 91,000, or .08%, in September. This is not a strong showing, given the
extended high unemployment rate, but the ADP's report has been steadily increasing since March of 2010. The total payroll increased 1.5%
over September of 2010. More information will be released on Friday when the BLS posts it's employment report.
1398
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
US
2011-10-07 [DG:44] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=44"] Employment Rate Holds Steady at 9.1% in
EmploymentSeptember[/url]
The unemployment for September was 9.1% for the third straight month. The employment-population ratio and labor force participation rate
both increased to 58.3% and 64.2%, respectively. Total nonfarm payroll increased .07% to 131.3 million. Unfortunately, the number of people
unemployed 26 or more week increased 3.4% to 6.2 million. For more information see our
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=95"]employment report[/url].
1399
US
Economy
2011-10-09 [DG:2359] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2359&transpose="] Reserve Balances At $1,604.390
--From the BLS and St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
Billion[/url]
1400
US
Economy
2011-10-12 [DG:2231] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2231&transpose="] Ten Year Treasury Rate At 2.1%[/url]
As per data released by the St.Louis Federal Reserve, the ten year treasury constant maturity rate stood at 2.1% as of October 7th, 2011.
This rate stood at 2.41% twelve months back and was at around 4% at the beginning of 2008 before the recession. The rate has decreased
since 2008 probably due to the government’s efforts to stimulate the economy.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1401
US
2011-10-12 [DG:2251] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2251"] Job Openings Decreased Slightly in August [/url]
Employment
Total nonfarm job openings decreased 157,000 in August to 3.1 million. Both hires and separations increased slightly. Job openings in
construction increased 22.6% while job openings in information decreased 43.1%. For more information, see our
[url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=171"]Job Openings and Labor Turnover Report[/url].
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
1402
US
Economy
2011-10-17 [DG:2410] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2410&transpose="] Capacity Utilization At 75.7% [/url]
As per data released today,the capacity utilization of manufacturing reached 75.7% as of September 2011. Capacity Utilization is an indication
of the extent to which a manufacturing enterprise uses its installed capacity.
This figure has increased slightly from 75.5% in August 2011. The capacity utilization is higher compared to a year ago when it stood at 72.8%
as of September 2010.
Prior to the recession in January 2008, the capacity utilization stood at 78.8% which is only 3 percentage points higher than current levels.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1403
US
Economy
2011-10-18 [DG:2328] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2328&transpose="] Producer Price Index At 192.9 [/url]
As per data released today, the producer price index of finished goods stood at 192.9 as of September 2011. The producer price index has
increased by 6.5% from 180.2 in September 2010.
The producer price index gives an indication of prices from the viewpoint of the sellers. Hence, the 6.5% increase in the producer price index
could indicate sellers hiking prices or receiving more for the same goods.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1404
US
Economy
2011-10-19 [DG:2279] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=2279="] Consumer Price Index At 226.137[/url]
The Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers for all items less food and energy stood at 226.137 for September 2011 as reported today.
Over the last year, this CPI index has increased by 1.97% after declining steadily from January 2008.
This is an indication of an increase in price levels of the same basket of goods purchased by urban consumers when compared to a year ago.
See our [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=169"]CPI report[/url] for more information.
--From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Disha Bheda
1405
US
Housing
2011-10-19 [DG:47] [url="http://www.data360.org/dsg.aspx?Data_Set_Group_Id=47&transpose="] Housing Starts Increased 15% in
September[/url]
September housing starts increased 15% to 658,000. They are also up 38% over the lowest point of the housing crash in April of 2009.
Although this one-month gain is fantastic, housing starts are still at all-time lows. The numbers involved are still fairly small due to the massive
slump in construction so increases can be easily magnified due to the scale.
See our [url="http://www.data360.org/report_slides.aspx?Print_Group_Id=82"]housing report[/url] for more information.
-From the St. Louis Federal Reserve, reported by Daniel Saniski
Summaries