US Economy - Page 20

Reuters - Surprisingly strong gains reported in sales of new homes and new orders for costly manufactured goods in December signaled more vigor in some soft economic sectors but dashed hopes for early interest-rate cuts.

Reuters - Sales of new U.S. homes rose more than expected in December while orders for durable goods climbed sharply, dimming prospects that the Federal Reserve may cut benchmark interest rates this year.

Reuters - New orders for U.S.-made durable goods rose a larger-than-expected 3.1 percent in December as demand for Boeing jetliners soared and most other sectors showed surprising strength, a government report showed on Friday.

Economy News AP - After a five-year boom, the nation's housing market cooled considerably in 2006 with existing home sales falling by the largest amount in 17 years. More Info...  

Reuters - Sales of previously owned U.S. homes slipped 0.8 percent in December and took their biggest tumble in 17 years for all of 2006, leaving in doubt whether the worst of a housing slump has passed.

Reuters - The number of planned job cuts in the U.S. media sector surged 88 percent last year and that trend will likely continue as readers shift from print to online services, a study on Thursday showed.

Reuters - Sales of previously owned U.S. homes slipped 0.8 percent in December and took their biggest tumble in 17 years for all of 2006, leaving in doubt whether the worst of a housing slump has passed.

AP - The number of wage and salary workers who were union members dropped to 12 percent of the work force last year, the lowest percentage since the government started tracking that number over two decades ago. More Info...  

Reuters - The pace of existing home sales slipped 0.8 percent in December, the National Association of Realtors said on Thursday, leaving in doubt whether the worst of a housing slump has passed. More Info...  

AP - China reported Thursday that its sizzling economy grew at its fastest rate in a decade last year as the government struggled to contain the strains of an export-driven boom.

Economy News AP - A gauge of future economic activity rose slightly in December as two of the economy's soft spots — the housing and job markets — showed signs of improvement, according to an industry-backed research group. More Info...  

Reuters - A key forecasting gauge for the U.S. economy rose by a larger-than-expected 0.3 percent in December, the private Conference Board research firm said on Tuesday, suggesting moderate growth in the months ahead. More Info...  

AP - Germany, France and Italy should make "greater efforts" to bring down government debt by 2010, the European Commission said Tuesday, urging them to use higher-than-expected tax receipts to balance the books.

Economy News FT.com - The US economy last year recorded its lowest rate of labour productivity growth in more than a decade, with growth in output per hour worked falling behind the EU and Japan. The fall casts further doubt on the ability of the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates as the US economy slows. More Info...  

FT.com - The US economy last year recorded its lowest rate of labour productivity growth in more than a decade, with growth in output per hour worked falling behind the EU and Japan. The fall casts further doubt on the ability of the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates as the US economy slows. More Info...  

Reuters - San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Janet Yellen said on Monday that U.S. interest rates were high enough to cut inflation, but that risks have arisen from the robust labor market. More Info...  

AP - The Japanese economy has grown for a record five consecutive years, though consumer prices remain flat and consumer spending is weak, a government report said Monday. More Info...  

Reuters - U.S. demand for goods and services has increased for the first time in a year, according to a National Association of Business economists survey released Monday. More Info...  

Economy News

AFP - A booming US economy has led to an explosion in the ranks of the wealthy unseen in a century, creating a surging market for luxury goods as well as a new era of philanthropy, researchers say.

AFP - A booming US economy has led to an explosion in the ranks of the wealthy unseen in a century, creating a surging market for luxury goods as well as a new era of philanthropy, researchers say.