We are now finishing the 16th month of the recession, which began in December 2007, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Not only is this a long recession, but it's also a severe one, marked by painfully high levels of job losses, a sharply reduced credit flow and a drop in the value of many investments. ...more

March 27, 2009

This is not only a new year. It also is the birth of the Union of the Socialist States of America (USSA). Reminds one of the failed union of socialist Soviet Republics (USSR), doesn't it? No, I'm not referring to an association of American states, such as Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia. I have in mind what was once the economically responsible and stable, capitalistic, free-enterprise, United States of America. ...more

January 11, 2009

Investors have been running scared. Through early November, $219 billion was pulled out of stock mutual funds according to TrimTabs Investment Research. That comes on the heels of five straight years of investors pouring cash into their stock funds. ...more

December 28, 2008

that money you've been expecting will grow - shrink to disturbing levels. ...more

October 25, 2008

George Bush has been in office for seven and a half years. The first six the economy was fine. Okay, he's president but he is not the dictator of what occurs in the U.S.A. We have a "checks and balance" system: Congress, Supreme Court, president. A little over a year ago, consumer confidence stood at a two and a half percent higher, regular gas sold for $2.19 a gallon, the unemployment rate was 4.5 percent, the Dow Jones hit a record high of 14,000-plus, Americans were buying new cars, taking cruises, vacations overseas and living large. But, America wanted change, so in 2006 they voted in a Democratic Congress and yes, we got change all right! In the past year consumer confidence has plummeted, gas is now over $4 a gallon and climbing, unemployment is up to 5.5 percent (10 percent increase,) Americans have seen their home equity drop by $12 trillion and prices are still dropping. One percent of American homes are in foreclosure, the Dow is probing another low, and $2.5 trillion has evaporated from their stocks, bonds and mutual funds investment portfolios. Yes, in 2006 American voted for change and we sure got it. ...more

October 3, 2008

Dishing out advice on financial staples in times of crisis used to involve three servings: precious metals, U.S. Treasury bills and real estate. ...more

September 30, 2008

State officials on Friday were assessing what effect Washington Mutual's failure Thursday would have on stocks, bonds and other investments the state had in the bank. ...more

September 27, 2008

Local stockbrokers and investment advisers ought to be tearing their hair out about now as they try to calm frantic investors, right? ...more

September 20, 2008

Don't blame us. That's the message financial managers responsible for millions of Americans' retirement benefits delivered Tuesday to lawmakers who are increasingly blaming speculation for record fuel prices. ...more

June 25, 2008

Ben Bernanke is just not that into you. Local experts say the Federal Reserve Board chairman probably was thinking about reassuring Wall Street and comforting the beleaguered credit markets Tuesday when he and his colleagues lowered the federal funds rate by half a percentage point. ...more

September 19, 2007