1. April Meeting Minutes Show "Fiscal Cliff" Is A Major Point Of Fed Concern
(Matching tags: Federal Reserve,Economic Outlook)

The so-called fiscal cliff was a noted concern when the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) met in April according to minutes released in May. Expiration of the Bush-era tax cuts, the payroll tax cuts, ...

2. If Consumers Are Tapped Out, Why Are Most Economists Forecasting Growth?
(Matching tags: investment strategies,Economic Outlook,economy)

Everyone knows consumers are totally tapped out. So why is consumer spending growing and why do most economists say consumers will continue to boost the economy? Bears, take note. This is a bullish trend. ...

3. April Offers A Second Disappointment In Jobs Growth
(Matching tags: economy,Economic Outlook)

Job growth disappointed once again as April numbers reported fewer jobs had been created than had been hoped. The number of jobs added was lower than the March report. The Department of Labor (DoL) reported ...

4. Job Growth In April Disappoints Once Again
(Matching tags: economy,economic indicators,Economic Outlook)

... that the economic recovery is wavering. Factory orders were the lowest in three years.  ...

5. Quality Of First Quarter GDP Was Better Than 2011's Fourth Quarter Despite Reporting Lower Numbers
(Matching tags: earnings,S&P,Economic Outlook)

... January predition of 4.05%. This should help boost investor confidence that the economic recovery is not being derailed by weaker than expected employment numbers or GDP growth.  ...

6. Components Of Durable Goods Report Show Manufacturing And Technology Sectors Are Improving
(Matching tags: economic indicators,Economic Outlook)

A decrease in aircraft orders was largely responsible for the drop in orders for goods lasting three years or longer. The disappointing report for durable goods cloaked an increase in investments by ...

7. Weakening Economic Indicators And Lack Of Real Solutions Increase Fears That Another Crisis Could Hit
(Matching tags: economic indicators,US investing,European crisis,Economic Outlook)

  With several economic indicators retreating in March from their encouraging January and February numbers, fears that the economy could retreat are increasing. Wall Street economists feel that ...

8. Big Firms Say Junk Bonds Are Nicely Positioned For Gains
(Matching tags: investing,investing for income,Economic Outlook)

... in the US economic recovery. Although the number of defaults is expected to increase, the overall default rate should not exceed historical levels.   ...

9. First Quarter 2012: The Rally at Six Months
(Matching tags: Economic Outlook)

... 2012 economic outlook and details some of the factors that investors should monitor as the rest of the year unfolds.  ...

10. Fed Speak Indicates Slight Shift Away From Easing
(Matching tags: Federal Reserve,Economic Outlook)

The Fed is ending Operation Twist in June, indicating less emphasis on continued easing and alerting investors to a slight change in Fed stance. Operation Twist is a program where the Fed tries to keep ...

11. A Second Downgrade For US Debt Comes With No Real Solution In Sight
(Matching tags: U.S. debt,U.S. credit rating,Economic Outlook)

US debt has been downgraded a second time by a small agency called Egan-Jones. Egan-Jones actually downgraded US debt from AAA to AA+ in July before Standard & Poors made its first downgrade the ...

12. As The World Economic Environment Reduces Leverage, Gross Advises Taking Greater Risk To Boost Alpha
(Matching tags: bonds,Economic Outlook,global investing,US investing)

Bill Gross, founder and chief investment officer of Pimco, says the bond and other global markets are still in a delevering environment. His latest economic commentary (for April) traces the levering-delevering ...

13. March Car Sales Numbers Debunk Oil And Gas Price Fears
(Matching tags: economy,Economic Outlook,economic indicators,oil)

Chrysler reported a 34% jump in sales in the March auto sales report. GM and Ford lagged behind with GM reporting a 12.5% increase and Ford 5%. High gas prices are not having much effect on consumers ...

14. Traditional Home Buying Season May Come Back Into Full Swing
(Matching tags: mortgage debt,economic indicators,economy,Economic Outlook)

2012 looks like it may be the housing market bottom. Economists and industry insiders are saying the traditional spring home buying season is benefiting from increased sales of homes as well as pending ...

15. Bernanke Says Weakness In Jobs Market Will Continue To Guide Fed Policy
(Matching tags: Federal Reserve,Economic Outlook,economic indicators)

Like gains in the equities markets, recovery in the economy doesn’t go straight up. In spite of recent good news about job growth, the Fed chairman made it clear on Monday, March 26 that FED policy ...

16. Bank Lending Has Had Little Influence On US Economic Recovery
(Matching tags: banks,economy,Economic Outlook,European debt)

The original purpose of the Troubled Asset Recovery Program (TARP) funds included enabling banks to make loans to boost economic activity. But lending by banks is at a low point—even lower than ...

17. A New Economic Indicator: Mobile Home Sales
(Matching tags: Economic Outlook,investing,real estate)

  If you’ve been dissatisfied with traditional market indicators of late or simply find them a bit boring, there is hope. An alternative indicator which could offer a different view of market ...

18. Overseas Markets Continue To Affect Domestic Performance
(Matching tags: investing,global investing,US investing,Economic Outlook)

Concern about whether China can truly achieve a soft landing coupled with continuing angst in the European markets overshadowed a couple of good economic reports for the US yesterday. Despite good news ...

19. Income And Consumer Spending In The U.S. Increased Less Than Expected In January
(Matching tags: U.S. economy,Economic Outlook)

The Commerce Department released disappointing data Thursday on consumer spending, the largest part of the U.S. economy.

20. Affluent Investors Are Steadily Gaining Confidence About The Economy
(Matching tags: Economic Outlook,high net worth,investor behavior,U.S. economy)

A measure of attitudes among affluent investors rose in February to its highest level since May.