News
WSJ | New Signs of Global Slowdown
On Thursday, the U.S. reported that businesses were slowing their orders of computers, aircraft, machinery and other long-lasting goods. Measures of business sentiment in Europe slipped, and reports from purchasing managers at manufacturers around the globe turned down.
National Journal | Summer Drivers Get Some Relief, But Not From Gas-Price Politics
Memorial Day weekend usually heralds an annual surge in gasoline prices, as American drivers hit the road and oil refiners switch to a cleaner but pricier summer fuel blend. And in an election year, rising prices usually means heightened political rhetoric about energy, drilling, and the role of big oil.
CNN Money | 30-year mortgage rate hits another record low
Buying a home got even cheaper this week as interest rates on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage set a record low for the fourth week in a row.
Econ Comments & Analysis
Market Watch | FDIC: Bank profits at highest level since 2007
Bank profits in the first quarter of 2012 reached their highest quarterly income levels in nearly five years, a federal banking regulator said Thursday.
CRS | Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): Funding Trends Since FY2002
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers a number of programs and activities that are primarily designed to address housing problems faced by households with very low incomes or other special housing needs. Most of the funding for HUD's programs and activities comes from discretionary appropriations provided each year in the annual appropriations acts enacted by Congress.
Politico | Student loan bills stall in Senate
Senators rejected dueling Republican and Democratic plans to stop rates from doubling in July, because of partisan fighting – again – over how the $6-billion bill would be paid for.
Blogs
Fortune | Why Shell is betting billions to drill for oil in Alaska
This summer, the energy giant will begin exploring off the icy coast of Alaska -- after years of resistance by environmentalists. The payoff could be the largest U.S. offshore oil discovery in a generation.
WSJ | Uncertain Businesses Go Into Wait-And-See Mode
New orders taken by durable goods makers edged up 0.2% in April, but the closely watched bookings for nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft–seen as a proxy for future business investment–dropped 1.9% on top of a 2.2% decline in March.
Economist | Remembering when the future kept getting bigger
How big can the American economy grow? This week’s Free exchange column tackles the critical question of America’s potential: the maximum output it can sustain given its endowments of capital, labour and technology.
Heritage Foundation | Four Big Problems with Obama’s Energy Subsidy Push
These subsidies have and continue to enjoy bipartisan support precisely because they benefit both Republicans and Democrats come election time, when they can say they helped create jobs for their district and state.
WSJ | New Gauge Shows U.S. Factory Growth Slowing
The flash purchasing managers’ index compiled by data provider Markit dropped to 53.9 in May from 56.0 in April, according to an economist who has seen the numbers. The Markit report said the index is the lowest since February.
