News
CNN Money | Spain sinks deeper into recession
Spain's second recession in three years deepened in the fourth quarter of 2012, as domestic demand sank in the face of government spending cuts and record unemployment.
Bloomberg | Euro-Area Economic Confidence Rises More Than Forecast
Economic confidence in the euro area rose more than economists forecast in January, adding to signs that the 17-nation currency bloc may be emerging from a recession.
Bloomberg | Economy in U.S. Contracts as Defense Spending Slumps
The economy in the U.S. unexpectedly shrank in the fourth quarter, restrained by the biggest plunge in defense spending in four decades and dwindling inventory growth as household purchases picked up.
CNN Money | Regulations are killing my business
These small businesses are being squeezed by local regulations requiring specific licenses. All are fighting back with the help of the Institute for Justice, a civil liberties law firm.
Market Watch | U.S. ‘lacks’ payback plan for Ally bailout: report
The Treasury Department has no “concrete exit plan” for its taxpayer-infused investment in Ally Financial -- formerly known as GMAC -- and its lack of a strategy may be why it continues to be owned by the U.S. government more than four years after the peak of the 2008 crisis, a watchdog group said Wednesday.
CNN Money | Energy prices on the rise again
Energy prices have been rising fast. But not enough to derail the economic recovery. Not yet anyway.
CNBC | US Mortgage Applications Fall as Refi Demand Drops
Applications for U.S. home mortgages tumbled last week after three consecutive weeks of gains, with refinance demand slumping as interest rates rose, an industry group said on Wednesday.
Econ Comments & Analysis
Washington Times | Obama’s path toward energy poverty
In his inaugural address last week, President Obama demonstrated that he is putting people at risk with misguided climate and energy policies.
Bloomberg | It’s Too Soon to Celebrate a Recovery
As the economy begins to show signs of strength, people naturally want to know, how long will the damage from the financial crisis linger? A new paper from the Bank of England suggests it may be much longer than we would like.
NBER | Experience Matters: Human Capital and Development Accounting
Using recently available large-sample micro data from 36 countries, we document that experience-earnings profiles are flatter in poor countries than in rich countries.
Blogs
Heritage Foundation | Colorado Energy Office Misspends Millions in Stimulus Funds
The Colorado Energy Office (CEO) misspent millions in stimulus funds and could not account for a variety of other financial statements, according to a new audit from the Colorado state auditor.
Calculated Risk | Comments on Q4 GDP and Investment
The Q4 GDP report was negative, with a 0.1% annualized decline in real GDP, and lower than the expected 1.0% annualized increase.
Café Hayek | Mark Steckbeck on Standards of Living
The Liberal Order‘s Mark Steckbeck sends this informative e-mail to me, in response to Mark Perry’s and my recent essay in the Wall Street Journal
