News
Politico | Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac move up on Congress’s to-do list
For the first time since the government took over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac nearly five years ago, there are signs that Congress and the administration are starting to get serious about tackling the dilemma of what should replace the taxpayer-owned mortgage finance giants.
National Journal | When Cities Aren't Enough
When the Twin Cities began an effort to develop a light-rail system that would connect downtown Minneapolis with downtown St. Paul, local leaders needed resources and expertise to produce the most effective plan for their communities. That's where Living Cities comes in.
FOX Business | Raising Prices Easier Said than Done for U.S. Companies
Walt Disney Co last week hiked single-day admission prices at its U.S. theme parks by up to 9.6%, the fifth increase since 2009. But other U.S. companies might want to think twice before following suit.
Market Watch | Underwater mortgage percentage falls below 20%
The percentage of all residential mortgages that are in negative equity, or "underwater" or "upside down," at the end of the first quarter fell to 19.8%, or 9.7 million, CoreLogic said Wednesday. That's down from 21.7% at the end of the fourth quarter of 2012 and from over 25% at the end of 2011.
Econ Comments & Analysis
FOX Business | Slowing Exports Threatens Emerging Asia's Credit-Fuelled Boom
A deepening slump in exports is sending tremors through Asia, threatening to undermine some booming emerging economies that have surged ahead in recent years on a heady combination of easy credit, buoyant consumer demand and strong domestic investment.
CNN Money | The manufacturing powerhouse you never thought of
Oregon's gross domestic product grew 3.9% last year, making it the third fastest-growing state economy after North Dakota and Texas, according to Commerce Department data released last week. Unlike those states, which benefited from an energy boom, Oregon drew about two-thirds of its growth from durable goods manufacturing. - See more at: http://economy.money.cnn.com/2013/06/10/oregon-manufacturing-powerhouse/?iid=SF_E_LN#sthash.GgJ4ZiBG.dpuf
Fortune | The upside of current market turbulence
As some prices overshoot in the downward direction, as they inevitably do, investors will come across opportunities that they previously could only hope for.
Washington Times | U.S. gains global competition as shale energy revolution heats up
The United States has been the dominant player in the shale revolution until now, but new estimates of the world’s potential shale resources show that Russia, China and developing countries such as Argentina and Algeria could be the biggest winners in the future.
Mercatus | A Guide To the 2013 Social Security Trustees Report, Part II
As one of the programs’ two public trustees it has become my custom to publish such summaries soon after the annual publication of the reports. The first this year summarized the Social Security report, whereas this one will summarize the Medicare report. Following are some of the report’s key points.
Blogs
WSJ | Can Cities Do Anything to Promote Startups?
An article in today’s Wall Street Journal looked at efforts to spur entrepreneurship in St. Louis. It’s an important challenge: Research has suggested a connection between job growth and entrepreneurship. Yet rates of business formation have been declining for decades.
CATO | Obamanomics and Big Government: Bad News for Young People
The Center for Freedom and Prosperity has examined this issue and taken it to the next level, cramming a lot of information into this six-minute video.
Calculated Risk | MBA: Mortgage Applications Increase, Mortgage Rates highest since March 2012
The Refinance Index increased 5 percent from the previous week. Despite the increase in the refinance index last week, the level is still 11 percent lower than two weeks prior and 36 percent lower than the recent peak at the beginning of May.
