When Good News Is Really Good News
The Department of Labor today announced that the unemployment rate in October dropped to 7.0% as 203,000 new jobs were added in the month. Almost 300,000 fewer people were counted as unemployed while the labor force participation rate increased, both of which are good things. In addition, the average work week increased a bit, as did average wages. To sum it all up, this was probably the best...
Read MoreThe Market Still Doesn’t Care That The Government Is Closed
We are now in the third week of the government shutdown and we’re careening towards the first “deadline” of October 17 with no deal in sight. By that day the Treasury will reportedly have about $30 billion with which to pay its bills. That will leave less than two weeks to scrimp and scrounge before the next big deadline of November 1, at which time the government will no longer...
Read MoreWill the Republicans Actually Close the Government?
At midnight on Monday we will find out if the hard-liners within the Republican party (read: the Tea Party) will follow through on their threat to close the government as they refuse to negotiate in good faith on a deal to expand the debt ceiling. Whether one agrees with ObamaCare or not, I think it’s reprehensible that the right-wing members of the Republican party led by Congressman Ted...
Read MoreMarket Achieves Record Levels
About an hour into trading today, the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average have both surpassed previous all time highs and achieved significant milestones. As I write this around 10:30am, the DJIA is at 15,003, marking the first time in history the venerable index has reached that level. Similarly, the S&P 500 is at 1,616, the first time that index has ever been over 1,600. And...
Read MoreThe Cliff, The Deficit and What It Means To You
A few weeks ago (the December 8th entry) I told you that the world wasn’t coming to an end because of the Fiscal Cliff. I said that “it is HIGHLY UNLIKELY that every tax increase and spending cut will, in fact, come to pass. Some compromises will certainly be made by our leaders in Washington, despite the radical bleatings of the far right and far left. Whether the deal is brokered...
Read MoreMusings on Death and Taxes
Last night my family enjoyed our blended holiday celebration. We shared gifts, laughter and hugs and kisses just days after an entire community was devastated by the horrific act of a madman and less than two months after Superstorm Sandy cut a path of devastation through much of the New York/New Jersey area. There are 27 families in Newton, CT who will not be celebrating the holidays this year...
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