Economic Indicators

Funny how free market forces work out for the best.

Unemployment Rate Ticks Up To 7.9% –
Update – 8.5 Million Left Labor Force In Obama’s First Term.

Despite the federal government wasting $7.66 trillion dollars in stimulus over the past several years, the economy still stinks.
Recovery? What recovery?

The U.S. generated 157,000 jobs in January, just short of analysts’ estimates and another sign that economic momentum is stagnating. The headline unemployment rate inched higher to 7.9% from 7.8% a month ago.

The data adds fuel to a growing feeling that the recovery from the deep recession that followed the financial crisis of 2007 and 2008 has hit a snag. (Read More)

Meanwhile, the dismal labor participation rate remains unchanged
.

I guess that depends.....if your one of the 8.5 million who doesn't have a job, maybe.

this what concerns me the most, We have been pumping billions of worthless currency into the economy. This will inevitably produce inflation. The Fed can only keep interest rates artificially low for a limited time, and when the fertilizer hits the ventilator, those rates will, to borrow a phrase, necessarily skyrocket. How high it will go is anybody's guess, but if we hit 15% which we saw in the Carter years and don't borrow another dime, debt service will hit 2.14 trillion, (we can't pay)which is very close to total tax revenues. Once the debt service exceeds tax revenues, the economy will collapse, making what we saw in 08 look like an elementary school picnic.

First Principle Of The Universe: Anything that cannot continue indefinitely will eventually stop."
What a disgrace: The greatest nation in the history of the world has been squandered like a 7-year-old kid's allowance.

Didn't FDR have a 91% tax rate?

You are correct..nobody p[aid the 91 %

\

Didn't he also confiscate everyone's gold?

ugh oh - bad sign for first qtr growth?

Walmart sales a 'total disaster' - says leaked e-mail

The retailer’s shares slid after Jerry Murray, vice president of finance and logistics, also told colleagues that it was “the worst start to a month I have seen in my ~7 years with the company”.

The DOW has hit an all time high. It's up to where it was just before the last crash. Yet all the other indicators tell you that there is a huge disconnect between what's happening on Wall Street and reality.

Cramer; "... we all know it's going to end badly, but in the meantime we can make some money "

• Dow Jones Industrial Average: Then 14164.5; Now 14164.5

• Regular Gas Price: Then $2.75; Now $3.73

• GDP Growth: Then +2.5%; Now +1.6%

• Americans Unemployed (in Labor Force): Then 6.7 million; Now 13.2 million

• Americans On Food Stamps: Then 26.9 million; Now 47.69 million

• Size of Fed's Balance Sheet: Then $0.89 trillion; Now $3.01 trillion

• US Debt as a Percentage of GDP: Then ~38%; Now 74.2%

• US Deficit (LTM): Then $97 billion; Now $975.6 billion

• Total US Debt Oustanding: Then $9.008 trillion; Now $16.43 trillion

• US Household Debt: Then $13.5 trillion; Now 12.87 trillion

• Labor Force Particpation Rate: Then 65.8%; Now 63.6%

• Consumer Confidence: Then 99.5; Now 69.6

• S&P Rating of the US: Then AAA; Now AA+

• VIX: Then 17.5%; Now 14%

• 10 Year Treasury Yield: Then 4.64%; Now 1.89%

• EURUSD: Then 1.4145; Now 1.3050

• Gold: Then $748; Now $1583

• NYSE Average LTM Volume (per day): Then 1.3 billion shares; Now 545 million shares

Thats because its doing ok for some...and it was never that bad for the Rich...Those having a hard time where not at the mall.

I can say business has been picking up, and more larger sales as well...But also the amount of sales Denied for credit, or having to put small amounts down or go very cheap is still higher then it use to be.

Its funny how the right bitches about Debt...but never wants to pay for anything or make anyone pay even there fair share of taxes. Can't even close loopholes paying profitable companies. And how they pretend to know about Economics, but show no understanding of leverage or spending money to make money. Or that if Business does not spend...People don't spend....and then goverment also does not spend...thats actually not a good thing.

Yea those people paying nothing are often called...the Elite. You know its the same Myth that helped Kill Mitts Run. And those the very poor...really how pointless would it be to tax them so you can give them tax money to help them?

And of course if someone did say ok raise the taxes on the people...Republicans would vote it down...because they can't vote for a tax increase. Bitch about the Vet not paying Federal income tax...Suppose Exxon getting a Rebates.