Category Archive for : ‘US Economy’

As the saying goes, when it rains, it pours. And as though a global pandemic and a never-before-seen supply chain debacle weren’t enough, the war between Ukraine and Russia has created a full myriad of problems relating to the cost of living. With the cost of everything from gasoline to ground beef skyrocketing, investors are finding that their stock portfolios are plummeting. Because of this, investors are turning to private equity and hedge funds, with the hope that these will be stronger investments in the future.

Although inflation has been at the forefront of everyone’s mind lately as the price at the pump has blossomed astronomically and everything from chicken legs to lumber has spiked in price, it’s the Stock Market that has created some bad news in the first quarter of 2022. The Stock Market has fallen by $3T, especially hurting those with heavy investments in technology stocks. There is a glimmer of hope, however, in that those who are in the bottom 50% of U.S. income levels are finding themselves in better jobs and

With inflation topping nearly 8% around the world, global citizens continue to reel from the effects of the pandemic, the supply chain woes, and rising prices. Nowhere is the price increase felt more acutely than at the gas pump. But while the European countries have developed specific plans to bolster their common citizens during these economic troubles, the Biden Administration has taken a more lackadaisical approach that is truly hurting the U.S. citizens.

Gone are the days of people retiring from a company where they had worked faithfully for forty or fifty years. In this global, technological economy, that is just not feasible. Within the recent tumultuous job market, many employees have jumped ship for better pay, as businesses struggle to get and retain employees. But with the tides turning and a recession looming, where will a company’s loyalty lie when things get tough?

With so much unrest in the world today, it is no wonder that so many companies are experiencing problems. Just when the nation thought it was rebounding from the pandemic, the war in Ukraine, continued supply chain troubles, and continuing Covid-19 cases in China have taken a toll. The stock market is dropping and taking many companies both large and small with it.

When it comes to economic transactions, foreign investors are often given a closer look because companies are worried about the influence that they might have. And in the case of Elon Musk purchasing Twitter with plans to privatize it, some have wondered if the investors across the pond that are teaming up with Musk could be a cause for a national safety concern. With a $44B price tag for Twitter, Musk has aligned himself with some venture capitalists from other countries, and this has

Just when Americans thought we were out of the woods after two years of pandemic fallout, economists are warning that a major recession is on its way. With the supply chain still broken and exacerbated by Russia’s war on Ukraine, economic experts are warning that 2022 will bring a recession. This is bad news for Americans who felt like they were just getting back on their feet after the 2020 recession.

Inflation continues to rise, taking the hopes and dreams of small businesses with it, like a hot air balloon breaking free from its tether. Reluctant to raise costs on the consumers they serve, small business owners have turned to innovative solutions to stem the tide of the cost of raw materials that just keeps going up and up. Big box stores can weather increases more easily, but for small businesses, creativity is key.

Throughout the two-year battle with the pandemic, prices of goods and services have increased astronomically, and the rising inflation around the globe is truly no secret. Automobiles have fueled the inflation increase, and the price of cars themselves has also risen significantly in the last two years. Although the future is looking better, the automotive industry still has a long way to go to get back on the road.

With all the changes that the pandemic has brought into the world, the change to a hybrid work model is seen as a positive. For many people, it brought with it more work/life balance, and employees are interested in continuing this trend. Across the globe, countries have been toying with the idea of a four-day workweek even before the pandemic, and Belgium is the latest country to jump into the mix.

Although it seems like America’s workers have been at the starting blocks again and again, waiting for the gun to go off that will get them back to their offices, Covid-19 flare-ups have prohibited a mass re-entry. But managers and CEOs are optimistic that as the Omicron numbers die, American workers can get back to business.

Surprisingly, despite the fact that the pandemic has been raging for two years, many businesses in America are finding economic success. From the bleak picture formulated in March of 2020,  this positive economic news is a welcome surprise for entrepreneurs and workers alike. By changing their business models and leaning in to the niches the pandemic has offered, many companies are meeting with success.

The news is filled with the Omicron variant, which came sweeping through the nation at the most inopportune time, right before the holidays. On the heels of the Delta variant, many people have been forced back into isolation and quarantine. But for holiday shoppers, it was business as usual (and then some), and numbers were good despite the turbulent pandemic news.

For two years, the pandemic has upended life as we know it, but there is one part of the economy that has come out ahead. The private equity realm rebounded from a miserable first half of 2020, and with the ball rolling in a positive direction, they have never looked back. Private equity deals are crushing previous deals and it looks as though the good fortune will continue into the new year.

With the trend toward remote working, office buildings have been left behind while their workers stay home, like dinosaurs rising out of the mist. And with so much of the country still locked in a debate about when and if workers might return to business as usual, the question of what to do with the giant skyscrapers and complexes left behind is of utmost importance.  Odds are that the office lifestyle as we knew it is gone forever, and developers will need to get creative to make the best use

For workers who have spent a lifetime paying into a pension program, the countdown to retirement is usually a joyful time. But with the unpredictability of the economic world, especially in terms of the ramifications of the pandemic, and past risky financial moves by employers managing pension accounts, the idyllic retirement scene many workers have hoped for might not come to fruition.

Whether you are trying to stay in a hotel, get your roof fixed, or even eat out at your favorite restaurant, you have probably noticed the lack of workers. There is one glaring reason employers have so many gaps in their staff: There are not enough immigrant workers. The combined effects of the Trump administration shunning immigrants, along with the understandable closing of the border because of the pandemic, have left companies begging for help.

If your turkey and stuffing fixings are costing you more this year as you prepare for the holiday of Thanksgiving, you are not alone. At a 30 year high, inflation has reared its ugly head just as the holidays are approaching, and for those who were already struggling to make ends meet, trips to the grocery store and gas pump will find them tightening their belts even further. Unfortunately, the inflation is not slated to end any time soon.

At a time when many companies are in crisis, the story for business owners has become even bleaker with the retirement of many Baby Boomers who have chosen to leave the workforce.

When a 20-year war comes to an end, not with a bang but a whimper, it seems as though the Stock Market might react to that major event. But whether the length of the war or the distance from America, when United States President Joe Biden ended the war with Afghanistan a few weeks ago, calling for the removal of all the troops, the Stock Market really didn’t budge.

The current 5.9% unemployment rate, compared to 3.5% before the pandemic, shows that the country is still suffering from joblessness. But the situation becomes more unusual because there are plenty of job openings and a plethora of workers. Unfortunately, the workers who need jobs are not a suitable match for the jobs that are open. Because of this unbalanced equation, the country is finding it difficult to get back on track.

The economy has faced a long road to equilibrium, considering the way the pandemic has pounded it over the last 15 months. But recent reports are all bringing positive news, with many growth indicators back on track and most all showing signs of recovery.

Like a freighter inching through the sea, time seemed to make no progression over the past year of living through Covid-19. A year ago, the country was in the midst of an unemployment peak that had not been felt since the Great Depression. People were scared to leave their houses, even for a quick trip to the grocery store. And there was seemingly no light at the end of the tunnel. Fast forward to today, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics just reported that the unemployment rate

In the pandemic’s aftermath, one unforeseen circumstance is that many businesses are struggling to find workers. Whether people are still worried about Covid-19, forced to stay home to care for people, or do not have the skills they need for certain jobs, many industries such as construction and food service are having trouble filling jobs.

For prospective home buyers, especially those who are trying to purchase their very first home, and for those over 55, buying a new home in 2021 is a difficult proposition. From bark-eating beetles to millennials coming of age to the ramifications of the pandemic, there are many elements working together to raise the prices of new construction.

A year ago, China was at the helm of the world’s economy, but because of a strong vaccination program and an additional March stimulus package, the United States is ready to shoulder the burden of getting the world’s economy back on track after the devastation of Covid-19. Though the lockdowns started similarly around the globe, the United States has set themselves apart from the rest of the world as the world exits the pandemic economy.

One full year has passed since Covid-19 hit the shores of the United States, and along with the virus, unemployment has swept across the nation. For 52 straight weeks, one million people have been forced to seek unemployment assistance. This oppressive statistic represents a country full of individuals and families just trying to survive. Congress was forced to pass the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 just to keep the nation afloat.

After the appalling year for the oil industry brought about by the worldwide pandemic caused by COVID-19, experts are cautiously optimistic as they continue to roll through 2021. With the onslaught of vaccines and the desire to get back to normal life, all signs indicate an optimist attitude for the oil industry.

In addition to changing the way people live, work, and purchase everything from groceries to computers, the pandemic has had a profound impact on the mortgage rates. Although it seems counterintuitive, record low mortgages have been a real bright spot in an otherwise arduous journey and economy throughout 2020. But the low mortgage rates have swung the pendulum to high buyer demand, and that is just one reason it is likely