News
WSJ | Temblor Hits Already Weak Japanese Economy
The massive earthquake that struck northern Japan has also hit an economy that has been struggling to recover from long-running deflationary pressures and a government that has little room to borrow the funds that may be needed for rebuilding efforts, economists said.
Fox | Foreclosure activity slows sharply in February
The number of U.S. homes receiving a foreclosure-related notice fell to a 36-month low last month, as lenders delayed taking action against homeowners amid heightened scrutiny over banks' handling of home repossessions.
CNN Money | Why banks are fighting over 12 cents
The banking industry and the Federal Reserve are about to do battle. And they're squaring off over 12 cents.
MSNBC | If it's solvent until 2037, why pick on Social Security?
If nothing is done, benefits would need to be cut by 22 percent to keep the system in balance
CNN Money | Households grow $2.1 trillion richer
Don't look now, but you and your fellow Americans are now worth trillions more, the Federal Reserve said Thursday.
WSJ | Pain in Spain Is Hard to Ascertain
Spain's central bank said the country's lenders will need €15.15 billion ($21.07 billion) in new capital, but Moody's Investors Service published a far higher estimate that spooked markets and called into question the credibility of Spain's figures.
MSNBC | Retail sales rise for the eighth straight month
Shoppers snapped up cars, clothing and electronics gadgets in February
The Economist | Bamboo capitalism
China’s success owes more to its entrepreneurs than its bureaucrats. Time to bring them out of the shadows
Fox | Retail Sales Up in February for Eighth Straight Month
Shoppers snapped up new cars, clothing and electronics gadgets in February, pushing retail sales up for the eighth straight month.
The Economist | Rustbelt recovery
Against all the odds, American factories are coming back to life. Thank the rest of the world for that.
Econ Comments
Washington Times | Public-sector unions claim outsized share of U.S. pension assets
More than a third of the nation’s $9.3 trillion in pension assets belong to state and local government employees, even though they make up only 15 percent of the U.S. work force, a study shows.
Project Syndicate | Will Next Time Be Different?
Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff, in their excellent, eponymous book on debt crises, argue that the most dangerous words in any language are “This time is different.” Perhaps the next most dangerous words are “Next time will be different.”
Washington Times | STANEK: Two years of epic stimulus failures
Keynesian spending creates nothing but a wealth of debt
Washington Times | PENCE: Ensure limited-government victory by empowering states
Failed Reagan effort points the way to needed reforms
Bloomberg | I Know the Secret to Economic Growth: Hillary Rodham Clinton
One of the biggest growth markets in the world may surprise you.
Blogs
Marginal Revolution | "Common mistakes made by economists"
Ezra's post is worth reproducing (after the intro) in full:
Cato@Liberty | Wasting Time on Government Waste
A recent poll found that 60 percent of those surveyed believe that problems with the federal budget can be solved by simply eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse. In fact, 40 percent strongly agreed with this erroneous position.
WSJ: Real Time Economics | Key to Prosperity: Fix Immigration Policies, Says Dallas Fed
The U.S. runs the risk of falling behind in the global race for talent if its immigration policies aren’t fixed, says a study in the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’s annual report.
Cato@Liberty | The Cost of Delaying Foreclosures
Further foreclosure delays impose significant costs, not just on the economy and lenders, but also on other borrowers.
Reports
Well Being Index | State of Well Being 2010
City, State and Congressional District Well Being Reports
