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Thursday, August 14, 2014

General Economics

News                                                                                                                             
Bloomberg | Euro-Area Pickup Stalls as Big Economies Fail to Grow
The euro area’s recovery unexpectedly stalled in the second quarter as its three biggest economies failed to grow, underlining the vulnerability of the region to weak inflation and the deepening crisis in Ukraine.
Yahoo! Finance | Why the next 3 months are the market’s worst
Call it the end of summer doldrums. According to S&P Capital IQ, since 1980 August has been among the worst of all losing months - averaging a 4.38% decline. The firm’s chief equity strategist Sam Stovall blames the drop on vacationing traders. Their absence broadens the impact of any kind of market jarring events such as we saw last week.
Bloomberg | More Money Down Adds to U.S. First-Time Buyer Blues: Economy
The challenges facing prospective buyers of the least expensive homes in the U.S. are getting harder to overcome.

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
Wall Street Journal | The EPA's Latest Threat to Economic Growth
In a town famous for inaction, Washington is gearing up to take action on a major policy issue. But there's a hitch: The outcome could be the most expensive regulation in the nation's history, possibly tanking the economy and costing jobs at a time when businesses, manufacturers and families are making a comeback.

Blogs                                                                                                                             
Wall Street Journal | IMF: Infrastructure Drive May Not Fuel Much Growth
Infrastructure is at the top of the agenda in the world of economic policy as officials try to rev up a nearly idling global growth engine.

Health Care

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
Wall Street Journal | Where ObamaCare Is Going
The liberal attraction to making government the sole source of health-care insurance has not abated even as the deficiencies in ObamaCare, a halfway move toward the single-payer model, have become increasingly evident. The question is whether growing signs of single-payer trouble overseas will be enough to discourage this country's flirtation with socialized medicine.
The Washington Times | Obamacare’s backdoor premium hikes
Just as President Obama's health care law hits new record unpopularity, multiple reports have surfaced of new problems that could plague Obamacare and cost Americans thousands of dollars each.
Politico Magazine | Don’t Repeal Obamacare, Transcend It
A conservative strategy that's good policy - and good politics, too.

Monetary

News                                                                                                                             
Market Watch | U.S. import price index declines 0.2% in July
The prices paid for goods imported into the U.S. declined by 0.2% in July, the first drop in three months, led lower by fuel prices, the U.S.Labor Department reported Thursday.

Taxes

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
CNN Money | 7 things you absolutely must know about corporate taxes
Politicians are hopping mad because a spate of big U.S. companies are trying to escape higher tax bills by proposing mergers with foreign firms.
The Daily Signal | Why One State Is Talking Tax Cuts: ‘It Is Time to Give the Taxpayers a Pay Raise’
The Republican lieutenant governor wants the state Senate to look at tax cuts this legislative session, and the corporate franchise tax might top the list, along with a cut to the state’s income tax.

Employment

News                                                                                                                             
CNN Money | Cisco is laying off up to 8% of its employees
The IT firm -- which makes Internet switches, routers and other networking devices -- announced Wednesday it plans to lay off up to 6,000 employees in the coming months, or about 8% of its global workforce.
Bloomberg | Jobless Claims in U.S. Rise to Highest Level in Six Weeks
Applications (INJCJC) for unemployment benefits in the U.S. rose more than forecast last week, interrupting a steady decline to pre-recession lows.

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
The Fiscal Times | From Bellhops to Burger Flippers, Robots Look to Steal Even More Jobs
Hotel rooms for the introverts among us are an anti-social haven. Nothing beats a hot shower, followed by settling into a freshly made bed in a terrycloth robe to watch mediocre television with a glass of wine.

Budget

News                                                                                                                             
Wall Street Journal | Little Improvement Seen from China's Economic Stimulus Measures
Economic data suggested that recent stimulus measures have done little to improve two weak corners of China's economy—wariness about lending and a struggling property sector.

Econ Comments & Analysis                                                                                            
The Fiscal Times | Study Finds Americans Plagued by Outstanding Debt
A disturbing new study from the Urban Institute reveals that one out of every 20 American adults on file with credit reporting agencies has at least one debt that is between 30 and 180 days past dude, and that more than one in three has had a debt sent to a collections agency within the past seven years.