Pertinent Category: Daily Economy

Coke, Pepsi and the Rising Dollar

– February 20, 2015

The strong dollar has been taking its toll on U.S. corporate profits, especially those companies who sell their products abroad, as The Associated Press reports today. Coca-Cola and Pepsi both reported falling sales directly linked to the exchange rate, and companies like Avon and Yum brands have also said the dollar has hurt their bottom lines.

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Freezing Temperatures, Blizzard Muddle Economic Picture

– February 18, 2015

The supercold weather has made economists’ job a little harder this winter, as they try to paint a picture of consumer and business behavior beyond that of people simply wanting to stay inside for fear of freezing.

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David Leonhardt Notes Surprises on Income Inequality

– February 17, 2015

We read with interest David Leonhardt’s story in this morning’s New York Times about a study out of George Washington University that highlighted the state of income inequality in America, with some surprising conclusions. The study, by GWU economist Stephen J. Rose, concluded that income inequality has not actually risen since the financial crisis started in 2007.

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Not Everyone Defines “Middle Class” Like President Obama

– February 13, 2015

Politicians talk about the “middle class” often. The President highlighted policies aimed at helping the middle class in his budget proposal. And The New York Times recently wrote about the shrinking middle class. But how do we define the “middle class”? Who is and who isn’t in it?

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Retail Sales Could Have Been Worse, If Not For Beer

– February 12, 2015

Consumer spending got off to a sluggish start in the new year, but strong spending at restaurants and drinking establishments has helped temper that trend.

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More Job Openings, But Turnover Remains Tepid

– February 11, 2015

The improving economy – and the distance it still has yet to go – came into focus this week, as for the first time since January 2001, we learned there were more than 5 million job openings in this country in December.

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How AIER Helped Me Learn to Help Others

– February 10, 2015

My Winter Study experience at AIER was potentially life changing.

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Building a Price Index, With Donuts and Mountain Dew

– February 9, 2015

Students at Monument Mountain Regional High School are exploring a very interesting and creative twist on traditional economic indexing. The Everyday Price Index, calculated each month by the American Institute for Economic Research, reflects price changes felt by Americans on a day-to-day basis, measuring the prices of those items that they buy frequently, such as food, utilities, fuel, and prescription drugs.

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More Americans Are Looking for Jobs, and Finding Them

– February 6, 2015

Despite an uptick in the unemployment rate, this morning’s jobs report showed reassuring strength, as a million people entered the workforce in January alone. The report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics comes after a number reports have suggested weakness in some parts of the economy in recent weeks.

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Cheap Oil Doesn’t Trickle Down to Goods, Services

– February 5, 2015

With the price of oil down by more than 50 percent since June 2014, we would expect that the overall price of goods and services would fall, too. But, when we turn to the data, we find some surprises.

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Is the Economy Hitting a Soft Patch?

– February 4, 2015

Recent reports are suggesting the economy, which had been robust in recent months, has softened a bit recently.

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“Marketplace” Reporter: Income Inequality Coverage Is Lacking

– February 3, 2015

There is a wealth of important news going unreported just beneath the surface of the income inequality debate, a reporter for the public radio program “Marketplace” wrote in his newly award winning essay.

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