Go to http://news.google.com and search for “economy”. Click on something that seems interesting to you and write about it. Don't use a story that has been used by someone else.
- 100 words minimum, 200 words maximum.
- Be clear, concise, concrete, and complete.
- Put the URL (web link) of the news story on the post.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-14/could-science-cure-the-economy-.html
ReplyDeleteMy article for this week is about a new theory on how to cure the economy: Science. Joseph Barker, dean of Columbia University School of Engineering, is a large advocate for a new approach to problems of the economy. Rather than having politicians or business men making large decisions on how we should run our economy, this job should be transferred to scientists or engineers. This new position on government in economics is currently known as "technocracy." They argue that scientists have better resources and better methods to manage the economy than the business men with personal agendas of today. However, some disagree saying that we would need outstanding technological advances first, before these technocrats could do what they are promising.
http://blogs.marketwatch.com/thetell/2013/01/14/what-to-watch-on-u-s-economy-on-tuesday-3/
ReplyDeleteThe article I chose to write on is a prediction of what we should expect to see out of the U.S. economy tomorrow. Marketwatch.com provides us with several statistics that we should keep an eye out for while watching the news tomorrow. In spite of the ominous fiscal cliff deal that was reached at the end of 2012, it looks like the economy ended the year on a relatively positive note. Retail sales experienced a .3% increase between November and December, and it addition to that automobile sales experienced a .2% rise. In spite of the boost in sales though, economists still predict that due to the deal that was reached, most Americans will find themselves losing about a thousand dollars for every fifty-thousand they make (before taxes ).
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/01/11/flu-season-epidemic-likely-a-boom-for-funeral-homes-and-death-care/
ReplyDeleteThe flu season for 2012-2013 seems to be much more serious than ever before. Flu deaths are "being classified at epidemic rates." Which is bad for everyone except cemetery owners, funeral homes, and others supplying the death care industry.The CDC reported that the proportion of all U.S. deaths caused by pneumonia and flu symptoms was 7.3% in the last week, and that above the epidemic threshold of 7.2%. Service Corp. International is the largest funeral home operator and owner of cemeteries in the world with a market value of more than $3 billion. Its stock is at $14.35 against a 52-week range of $10.58 to $14.58. Service Corp. came public in the summer of 1987, right before the market crashed in October and its shares suffered along with the rest of the market. Carriage Services Inc. trades at $13.00 against a 52-week range of $5.61 to $13.59 and its market cap is $235 million. This funeral home outfit has paid a dividend for less than two years now and has yielded about 0.08%. Carriage Services owns the Batesville Casket outfit and is worth some $1.47 billion. Its at $23.45 its 52-week range is $16.75 to $24.18. Its dividend yield is close to 3.3%.Stewart Enterprises Inc. (NASDAQ: STEI) has multiple funeral and cemetery products and services for the death care industry and at $7.80 its market cap is about $660 million. Its 52-week trading range is $4.92 to $8.65 and its yield is close to 2.05%.
Matthews International Corporation is in the memorialization products and solutions for the cemetery and funeral home industries. At #43.75 its 52-week range is $27.42 to $34.36 and its market cap is $904 million. Has yeilded around 1.2%.The flu season has been rated as "high" for sometime now, this season has been the worst since, being rated "intense."Although it sounds bad, the Service Corp. is kind of dependent on the flu season; economically this upcoming flu season is supposed to be a good thing.
http://news.morningstar.com/articlenet/article.aspx?id=581616
ReplyDeleteWith low inflation rates, a rapid increase in the housing market, and recovery in China, the US economy is looking up. Housing prices increased more than 7% in 2012. Although the fourth quarter GDP growth was rather rough at 1.5%, Robert Johnson (author of this article) explained, "The fourth quarter slow-down is related to ups and downs in government defense spending, soybean shipments, and auto industry seasonal shifts." He argues that despite this slow-down, core economic fundamentals remain the same, with identical employment rates in the last two quarters of 2012. The primary focus of this article is to debunk commonly made claims about the US economy being very fragile. Johnson boldly states that "the US economy is anything but fragile." He gives credit to the US economy and pushes the reader to recall all of the difficult challenges it has recently faced: the fallout of the debt crisis in Europe, an election, the fiscal cliff, rising gasoline prices, and natural disasters.
http://www.bakercountypress.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2395:gun-sales-surge-locally-on-fears-of-bans&catid=59:news&Itemid=57
ReplyDeleteThis article ties together both institutions (The government) and an economic shock (the Connecticut shootings and talk of a ban). Since the shooting there has been a huge increase in gun sales. Some gun stores are reporting 50% increases in sales. One pawn store states that in one day the sold nine assault rifles. There are also reports of people requesting larger magazines. Pawn shop owners have stated that people are very concerned about a possible ban on guns and/or ammunition and as a result have begun stock piling. It appears that in order to increase sales of a product all the government has to do is suggest that they are going to ban it!
According to the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics, the population of working age (15-59) dropped 3.34 million in 2012. As Panos Mourdoukoutas puts it, “China may be turning from a labor surplus to a labor shortage economy.” The shortage began in the Great Recession, when companies such as Microsoft, Intel, Coca-Cola and Disney “embarked on huge hiring sprees” in China to counteract the slow business in the U.S. Mourdoukoutas claims that in the short run, the labor shortage is bad for two reasons: firstly, wages are expected to increase, which will in turn cause inflation to increase, which will then raise interest rates – “hampering” China’s economic recovery. Secondly, higher wages will “undermine China’s competitive advantage in the Asian region, as domestic companies are forced to cope with competition from low-wage countries like Vietnam. Long term, however, the shortage will prove to be good news, as Chinese companies will be forced to innovate – come up with labor-raising techniques, eventually raising productivity and living standards.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.forbes.com/sites/panosmourdoukoutas/2013/01/21/why-a-labor-shortage-is-good-news-for-the-chinese-economy/
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nb20120924jp.html
ReplyDeleteHealth and welfare costs in Japan are in danger of going up due to the 30.74 million people over the age of 65. Japan is going to have to enforce the upcoming tax hikes, when Just last month the government raised the consumption tax rate by three percent. They are estimating that the extra revenue will allow the government to achieve its target for this year. Given the need for more spending on disaster and welfare measures to cover the rapidly growing elderly population, further tax hikes are likely in the years ahead. Under these circumstances, the upcoming tax hikes will likely have a more dire effect on Japan than the 1997 hike.
http://qz.com/45821/mexicos-economy-is-in-the-sweet-spot/
ReplyDeleteThere has been much speculation about other foreign, such as china and europe. However, Mexico has found itself in a "sweet spot." Mexico has had a significant drop in interest rates and Mexican stocks are at an "etched record high." The interest rates for private borrowers are dropping, thanks in part to global investors, such as Bill Gross. They are becoming increasingly attracted to Mexican government debt. This helped strengthen the Peso. The Peso could pose a problem if it "gets ahead of itself." However, a stronger Peso will increase the price on exported goods, which will make Mexico a competitive export sector. This places Mexico in a comfortable and relatively stable state of economy.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-21/dubai-masseuses-return-to-economy-seeking-new-balance-for-growth.html
ReplyDeleteThe economy in Dubai is starting to pick up this year. Tourism is a main cause of this boost in the economy. Airplanes, restaurants, and hotels are becoming harder to book in the city. I was at the airport in Dubai this past summer, and I saw the numerous advertisements for the luxuries of the city. It seemed like a great place to spend a week. In the first half of 2012 the hotels and restaurants in the city grew 16 percent. The mall there is the largest shopping center in the world. Its sales grew 18 percent in the past year. Another factor is that Dubai has been left untouched by any Arab unrest. The only downside is the debt left by the mega projects the city has put into place. Overall, Dubai is relying on its tourism to uphold what seems to be a growing economy.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/22/us-japan-economy-boj-idUSBRE90K08J20130122
ReplyDeleteJapanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is finally being aggressive enough about the economy to pressure the Bank of Japan into fixing the economy in some way. The Japanese economy, although like most countries has been recovering from the Great Recession quite weakly, is a peculiar case in that the last twenty years in Japan have been host to low-grade deflation. The new, more unorthodox, plan is to buy thirteen trillion yen in assets every month. There is no deadline for the end of this plan, just the goal of doubling inflation to two percent. This plan contrasts the Bank of Japan's normal approach of slow easing. It seems that Abe is finally making a difference, which is a good thing for everyone.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/22/business/opinion-mounira-jamjoom/?hpt=hp_t4
ReplyDeleteThis week’s article is about the economy in Saudi Arabia. Women in this country do not have many opportunities to become professional working women. They are thought less than men. But in recent year there are a lot more well educated women. The problem is that there are no jobs. That makes the unemployment rate for women be at 28 % that is four times more than the unemployment rate for men. No what is interesting is that these women are all covered and once they are uncovered they become self-empowered. They then influence other young women and they increase everything therefore resulting in a bigger better economy. In conclusion, women in Saudi Arabia should be visible.