Pages

Friday, May 23, 2014

General Economics

News                                                                                                                             
Fox Business | Oil Futures Dip, Gasoline Climbs Ahead of Holiday Weekend
Oil futures slipped Thursday as traders who had bet on higher prices locked in profits after Wednesday's rally, while gasoline futures hit a three-week high on expectations of rising demand.
Bloomberg | Americans’ Outlook for U.S. Economy Falls to Seven-Month Low
Americans’ expectations for the economy deteriorated to a seven-month low in May, a sign that the rebound from weakness earlier this year may be limited by still-cautious consumers.
Fox Business | New Home Sales Rebound in April
Sales of new U.S. single-family homes rose more than expected in April and the stock of houses on the market hit a 3-1/2 year-high, a sign the sputtering housing recovery may be poised to regain steam.

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
Washington Times | ALLEN: Reagan’s Ex-Im Bank reforms still paying dividends
The lender that reaped $1 billion in 2013 deserves reauthorization.
WSJ | Without Keystone XL
Some energy analysts figure the White House's continuing refusal to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline may become less relevant as oil companies develop other ways to ship their product. But the surge in oil shipments by rail is creating new public health risks while raising the cost of food production.
CNN Money | Bank of America is making money on its financial crisis settlement
The deal that BofA struck two months ago with Fannie and Freddie's regulator, restitution for financial crisis misdeeds, could end up boosting the bank's bottom line by $1.4 billion.
Mercatus Center | Is Now the Time for Housing Finance Reform? Maybe Not
If the United States is ever to enjoy sensible policy in housing, the choices will have to be made at a time when officials are focused on the public interest and firmly reject the suggestions coming from the social engineers and the special-interest lobbyists. Unfortunately, that does not seem to be the case today.