All Economy
Housing is suddenly a bright spot for economyIn the midst of the economy's slowdown, housing is gradually picking up. Home prices and new construction are up. Existing home sales, while down, are expected to rebound.
Want to get rich? Creating a financial cushion is the first stepA recent survey shows a large number of people do not have an emergency fund. When you have no cushion and a big, unexpected bill comes up, most have to borrow to meet the expense. Creating a cushion is the first step toward wealth and financial freedom.
The Paradox of Choice: A theory loses favorA famous experiment, published in 2000, points to something called the Paradox of Choice: more choices lead to lower overall sales. That makes no sense in the narrow rationality often used in economic models, and some evidence suggests it might not actually be true.
The problem: Big business doesn't care about American well-beingAmerica isn’t educating enough of our people well enough to get American-based global companies to do more of their high-value added work here. But big American-based companies aren’t pushing this agenda, they don’t care. And that's the real problem.
US drought: how it could impact food, water needs around the worldThe effects of the widespread US drought could range from higher utility prices and industry costs in the developed world to population displacements and political unrest in less developed regions.
HSBC money laundering: Bank vows fixes. Senators doubtful.HSBC money laundering comes under the microscope in a Senate hearing. Bank officials promise to shut down operations in the Cayman Islands, tied to HSBC money laundering.
‘No drink 4 U!’ Opposition to proposed soda ban bubbles up in New YorkNext Tuesday is the last day to submit comments on New York’s proposal to ban large sugary beverages. Those opposing the plan have launched a vocal and well-financed campaign.
A crisis veiled in public spectacleOver the course of three odd decades, billions of dollars were lent to people who shouldn’t have been allowed to borrow lunch money. And now, there are losses in the trillions. The real question is, will the market finally be allowed to correct itself?
How GOP could be forced to raise taxes this DecemberTwenty leading congressional conservatives are imploring GOP leaders to head off any Democratic attempt to use the threat of a government shutdown to force Republicans to accept tax hikes.
Learning to love the leftoversEvery time you choose to eat leftovers, you’re basically getting a free meal. If you’ve got it in your home, you’ve paid for it in some fashion. Throwing away leftover but still good food is no different than throwing money in the garbage.
Jump in housing starts, earnings send stocks upNew signs of recovery in the housing market and strong corporate earnings sent stocks higher for a second straight day. The Dow Jones rose 103 points, to close at 12,908. The positive showing comes on the heels of an otherwise dismal start to July trading.
Ron Paul vs. Ben Bernanke: final battle ends on surprising noteWith Rep. Ron Paul retiring this year, his epic battles with Federal Reserve chairmen are coming to an end. But his last run-in with Ben Bernanke took a more reflective turn.
Electric car-charging stations: Will market forces cut prices?Charging stations charge by time or by amount of electricity used--amount of electricity is generally viewed as the fairer option. But electric-car drivers may start to choose only those stations that charge a fair price, meaning market forces will adjust prices down.
450-year-old debt. Trillions owed. But will German village get repaid?450-year-old debt note from Berlin to Mittenwalde appears authentic, but German capital has only paid a guilder so far. With interest and inflation, the 450-year-old debt of 11,200 guilders is worth trillions of euros today.
Housing market rebound? New-home starts notch a post-2008 high.The number of new-home starts in June was the highest since October 2008. While analysts say the US housing market is 'back on track,' there is still 'far to go.'
How to jump off the fiscal cliff into a tax cutBy jumping off the fiscal cliff, Congress can magically turn a tax increase into a tax cut. All it has to do is let existing tax cuts expire.
On brink of 'financial cliff,' at least one analyst remains hopefulWhile few people expect real fiscal reform in the always partisan lead up to the November election, Lloyd Blankfein writes that there may still be hope, if President Obama, Congress and Mitt Romney declare that Simpson-Bowles will be the basis of future reform.
Higher tax rates for small businesses may lead to fewer jobsA new study estimated the effects of the policy advocated by President Obama that would allow for higher tax rates for small-business owners starting next year. The study found that such a tax increase would lead to fewer jobs.
Jay Leno, Bob Lutz talk plug-ins, test drive a hybrid truckTalk show host Jay Leno is betting that Americans will love the Via Vtrux, a full-size, electric pickup truck that combining the practicality of a Chevy Silverado with the mileage of a Chevy Volt. Leno endorsed the truck on the latest episode of his web series, "Jay Leno’s Garage."
Backyard to table: Get into the routine of gardeningA garden can be a great way to save money, providing your family with a bounty of delicious food. It can also be expensive, due to various startup costs. Follow these tips to make your first garden both a financial and culinary success.
