News
WSJ | Data Point to Euro-Zone Recession
The euro-zone economy has probably entered recession, while a jump in the inflation rate for the currency bloc is likely to limit European Central Bank President Mario Draghi's scope for further monetary policy easing.
Market Watch | More evidence of housing recovery
Here’s another sign that a housing recovery is afoot: Prices on a per-square-foot basis rose in 78 of the nation’s 100 most active housing markets over the latest three-month period, according to the latest figures from the field.
NY Times | Enrollment Drops Again in Graduate Programs
Enrollment in college is still climbing, but students are increasingly saying no to graduate school in the United States.
WSJ | Japan Data Show Recession Risk Growing
Data released by the government Friday showed that Japan's economy may be slowing more than expected and could possibly move into a recession.
USA Today | USA TODAY analysis: Nation's water costs rushing higher
While most Americans worry about gas and heating oil prices, water rates have surged in the past dozen years, according to a USA TODAY study of 100 municipalities. Prices at least doubled in more than a quarter of the locations and even tripled in a few.
CNN Money | Major banks hit with biggest cyberattacks in history
There's a good chance your bank's website was attacked over the past week.
Market Watch | Consumer spending climbs 0.5% in August
Consumer spending in the U.S. rose in August by the fasted amount in six months, according to the latest government data.
Bloomberg | Business Activity in U.S. Shrinks for First Time Since 2009
Business activity in the U.S. unexpectedly contracted in September for the first time in three years, adding to signs manufacturing will contribute less to the economic recovery.
Econ Comments & Analysis
WSJ | As Good As It Gets?
Mr. Obama told Americans in 2009 that if he did not turn around the economy in three years his Presidency would be "a one-term proposition." Joe Biden said three years ago that the $830 billion economic stimulus was working beyond his "wildest dreams" and he famously promised several months after the Obama stimulus was enacted that Americans would enjoy a "summer of recovery." That was more than three years ago.
Real Clear Markets | Violent Protests Mar Draghi and the ECB's False Narrative
To believe the headlines, Mario Draghi and the European Central Bank had saved the day earlier this month when they announced their unlimited short-term sovereign debt-buying program, which they boringly named outright monetary transactions (OTM).
WSJ | Financial Recessions Don't Lead to Weak Recoveries
There's a belief among policy makers that serious recessions associated with financial crises are necessarily followed by slow recoveries—like the one we've experienced since mid-2009. But this widespread belief is mistaken.
AEI | Raising minimum wage is sure bet to create more jobless young Americans
The unemployment rate for 16 to 19 year olds was an astonishingly high 23.8 percent last month. The United States is facing a youth employment crisis.
Blogs
Library of Economics | The Bottom One Percent
We often hear a lot, especially from those who want to tear them down, about the top 1 percent. We don't hear nearly as much about the bottom 1 percent. Who are they? Where are they? Why are they in the bottom 1 percent? And what should we do about them?
WSJ | EU, U.S. Recession Risks May Put the Brakes on Emerging-Market Expansion
The euro-zone debt crisis, U.S. budget problems and potential domestic credit bubbles could wreak havoc in emerging markets if authorities don’t act now to bolster their crisis buffers.
AEI | ‘It’s all unraveling’ | Is this the last quarter of the recovery?
Has the U.S. economy turned a corner? Yes, and then another corner and now it’s going backward. A slew of bad economic data today.
Café Hayek | Changing Family Structure
This fascinating collection of charts from the Tax Foundation includes these two charts that show how much demographics have changed and how difficult it is to draw conclusions over time
