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One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of March thaw, is the Spring.
Aldo Leopold Categories
Tag Archives: consumer spending
Shoppers lift economy but will they keep spending?
The economy might not be on the brink of another recession after all. Consumers, who drive most economic growth, spent more on cars, furniture, electronics and other goods in July — and more in May and June than previously thought.
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Layoffs, housing data point to chronic problems
Sour reports Thursday, June 23, on the number of people who sought unemployment benefits and buyers of new homes illustrate what Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke acknowledged Wednesday: Many factors weighing on the economy are proving to be more chronic than first imagined. Read More
Lower growth, higher oil prices coming
Economists are dialing back their expectations for U.S. economic growth this year. A survey from the National Association for Business Economics predicts GDP will grow 2.8 percent this year — down from the group’s February prediction that it would grow 3.3 percent. Read More
Consumer spending and incomes rose in February
Americans earned a little more and spent a little more in February, thanks to a tax cut. But a big part of the extra money went to cover higher gas prices.
Consumer spending jumped 0.7 percent last month and personal incomes rose 0.3 percent, the Commerce Department said. Both gains reflected a Social Security tax cut, which boosted take-home pay. Still, high gas prices soaked up much of the spending increase. Read More
Inflation worries push consumer confidence lower
Rising prices at the gas pump and in grocery aisles are starting to crimp shoppers’ outlook.
The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index fell sharply from a three-year high in February, reversing five straight months of improvement. The decline raises questions about Americans’ ability and willingness to spend in coming months. Read More
AP survey: A bleaker outlook for economy into 2011
The U.S. economic recovery will remain slow deep into next year, held back by shoppers reluctant to spend and employers hesitant to hire, according to an Associated Press survey of leading economists . . . read more Read More
As spending by wealthy weakens, so does economy
Wealthy Americans aren’t spending so freely anymore. And the rest of us are feeling the squeeze.
The question is whether the rich will cut back so much as to tip the economy back into recession . . . read more Read More
Fed chief focused on keeping recovery alive
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke heads to Congress Wednesday, July 21, with a message of reassurance: The Fed stands ready to take new steps to bolster the recovery if the economy worsens.
The Fed chief kicks off back-to-back appearances on Capitol Hill at a delicate time for the economy. The recovery, which had been flashing . . . read more Read More
Cautious consumers may fuel debate over deficits
A tepid gain in consumer spending last month could fuel a debate over whether the United States and other governments should further stimulate their economies to sustain the recovery.
A report that Americans spent cautiously in May came after world leaders meeting in Toronto over the weekend pledged to reduce government deficits by . . . read more Read More
Less spending by Americans could slow recovery
Americans are pulling back on their spending, a trend that could slow the economic recovery if it continues.
A sharp drop in retail sales points to still-wary shoppers and could lead economists to curtail their expectations for growth.
Analysts cautioned against overreacting to Friday’s, June 11, Commerce Department report. It could signal a return to . . . read more Read More
Americans rebuilding wealth, slowly and unevenly
The rebuilding of Americans’ wealth is proceeding in steps rather than strides.
Households’ net worth rose last quarter — the fourth straight quarterly gain. Yet tumbling stock prices have reduced their wealth since then. Some economists say Americans’ net worth may now be down slightly for the year. That helps explain why many say it will 2012 or 2013, at best, before Americans’ wealth will return to its pre-recession levels . . . read more Read More
Frugality among consumers is outliving recession
Even as the economic recovery plods ahead, many American consumers are refusing to come along.
They’re not spending freely — and they have no plans to.
Many of them have steady income. They aren’t saddled by high debts. They don’t fear losing their jobs. . . . read more Read More
Consumer spending up, sign of decent recovery
Consumers spent modestly last month, a sign that the economic recovery is proceeding at a decent — but not spectacular — pace.
The Commerce Department reported Monday that consumers boosted their spending by 0.3 percent in February. That was a tad slower than the 0.4 percent increase registered in January and marked the smallest increase since September. Still, the increase in spending was considered a respectable showing, especially given the snowstorms that slammed the East Coast and kept some people away from the malls. . . . read more Read More
New report: Consumers spent modestly in January
Americans backed off from their holiday spending pace in January, but retail sales rose for a third month in a row compared with a year earlier, largely because of . . . read more Read More
Smart Spending: Shopping at convenience stores
Always helpful for last-minute necessities, convenience stores and chain drug stores offer good deals on a surprising array of other merchandise too.
Trading on their late hours and handy locations, they’ve always boosted prices on necessities, but the recession has made the stores more savvy about other inventory too . . . read more Read More
