Encore Encore

The August 9 – August 15, 2010 issue of Bloomberg Businessweek contains an article on the tax cuts implemented in 2001 and 2003 during President George W. Bush’s term of office.  The article argues that the cuts, promoted by Glenn Hubbard, President Bush’s first chief economic adviser did little to stimulate the economy but did contribute  Read more ➝

Fed Chairman Offers Uncertain Outlook

The Los Angeles Times reported today that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke predicted that unemployment was likely to remain stubbornly high for several years, straining families and endangering the nation’s economic stablitiy and competitiveness. Though Bernanke painted a bleak picture for the millions of jobless workers, he said the U. S. economy was continuing  Read more ➝

California Housing Defaults at 3-year low

The Los Angeles Times reported today that the number of Californias entering foreclosure slid dramatically in the second quarter to a three-year low as the fallout from the worst of the housing crisis continued to abate.  Click the photo to the right to read the entire article.

Who would bet against John Paulson?

                  The July 5 – July 11, 2010 issue of Bloomberg Businessweek featured an article that contrasted the views of John Paulson, the hedge fund manager who correctly predicted the collapse of mortgage backed securities (and profited handsomely from it) and Paul Krugman the Nobel Laureate and  Read more ➝

Fear of a Stall Hits Market

On Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 the Wall Street Journal reported that American stocks and bond yields fell sharply as concerns mounted that the economy might be in for a slowdown.  For a link to view the entire article, click the photo at left.

Millionaires make a recovery

Unemployment remains at near-record levels, and most Americans are struggling to rebuild their battered finances.  But the country’s wealthy are once again doing just fine, thank you.  Click the photo to the right to read the entire article about this important economic demographic group from the Friday, June 11, 2010 edition of the Los Angeles Times.

Betting Against the American Dream

On April 9th, 2010, the National Public Radio program This American Life aired a provocative radio program that traces the history of Magnetar, a hedge fund that came up with an elaborate plan to make money by sponsoring the creation of complicated and ultimately toxic securities…while at the same time betting against the very securities  Read more ➝

March exports jump at Los Angeles, Long Beach ports

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which together make up the Nation’s busiest shipping container complex, showed gains in cargo traffic for the fourth straight month in March.  Please click the photo to the left to read the entire article from the April 16th, 2010 edition of the Los Angeles Times.