FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2012   ECONOMICS: Europe’s Markets Are Tested Anew http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304072004577325611589982858.html New strains surfaced in European markets as a slide in the euro forced Switzerland’s central bank to intervene in currency markets and Spanish bond yields climbed to their highest level this year. While trading was thin ahead of the Easter break, traders said … Continue reading →

THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 2012   ECONOMICS: Markets Fear End of Stimulus http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304072004577324130797553106.html Fears that the central banks of Europe and the U.S. may soon end efforts to support financial markets as well as fresh concerns about the health of Europe’s weakest countries drove down stock markets around the world Wednesday. European Central Bank President Mario … Continue reading →

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2012   ECONOMICS: As Home Rents Head Higher, Owning Regains Its Appeal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304750404577322011443831768.html Climbing rents for apartments are combining with a continued decline in home prices to push once-reluctant home buyers into finally taking the plunge, say economists and real-estate agents, helping what appears to be a good start to the housing … Continue reading →

TUESDAY, APRIL 3, 2012   ECONOMICS: OPINION: Beware of Budget Gimmickry (Bruce Bartlett) http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/beware-of-budget-gimmickry/ It’s clear that the United States is entering a long period of budgetary confrontation. Sooner or later, meaningful action on the budget deficit will be necessary. And despite the best hopes of budget hawks, the likelihood of a grand bargain that will … Continue reading →

MONDAY, APRIL 2, 2012   ECONOMICS: OPINION: Pink Slime Economics (Paul Krugman) http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/02/opinion/krugman-pink-slime-economics.html The big bad event of last week was, of course, the Supreme Court hearing on health reform. In the course of that hearing it became clear that several of the justices, and possibly a majority, are political creatures pure and simple, willing to … Continue reading →

THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2012   ECONOMICS: OECD Sees Europe, U.S. Drifting Apart http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303816504577311043529851790.html The economies of Europe and North America will diverge in the first half of this year, with European budget cuts dragging on demand while the U.S. economic recovery picking up steam, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said in a report … Continue reading →

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012   ECONOMICS: Group Backs Simpson-Bowles Plan http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303404704577307710169626858.html A small bipartisan group of House lawmakers, bucking their Democratic and Republican leaders, is advancing a plan to reduce the federal budget deficit by more than $4 trillion over 10 years through a combination of spending cuts and tax increases. A vote on the … Continue reading →

TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012   ECONOMICS: Bernanke says U.S. needs faster growth http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/27/us-bernanke-idUSBRE82P0GZ20120327 The U.S. economy needs to grow more quickly to bring the unemployment rate down further, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Monday, defending the central bank’s policy of very low interest rates. While he offered no indication the Fed is keen … Continue reading →

MONDAY, MARCH 26, 2012   ECONOMICS: Economists see higher taxes as way to cut deficit http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-03/D9TNUKVO0.htm Economists say a combination of higher taxes and lower spending is the best way to reduce the federal budget deficit. A survey on economic policies conducted by the National Association for Business Economists released Monday also forecast that short-term … Continue reading →