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December 29, 2005
Properties of Some Labor Market Indicators
The information content of the establishment vs. household-based employment series vs. hours worked.
Continue reading "Properties of Some Labor Market Indicators"
Posted by Menzie Chinn at 11:55 AM permalink | Comments (9)
Who's afraid of the big bad yield curve?
Lots of talk this week of an inverted yield curve, such as Macroblog, Big Picture, Economist's View, Hypothetical Bias, and Mises Economics Blog. What's the big deal?
Continue reading "Who's afraid of the big bad yield curve?"
Posted by James Hamilton at 10:37 AM permalink | Comments (17)
December 28, 2005
Natural gas prices
Whee, it sure is fun being a natural gas trader, don't you think?
Continue reading "Natural gas prices"
Posted by James Hamilton at 06:38 AM permalink | Comments (12)
December 27, 2005
Here and there around the web
Catching my eye here and there around the web this week: the source found for one of Saturn's rings and some interesting comments on Enron, Iran, and Americans serving in Iraq.
Continue reading "Here and there around the web"
Posted by James Hamilton at 01:55 PM permalink | Comments (2)
December 26, 2005
The post-recession employment record
How well are workers doing?
Continue reading "The post-recession employment record"
Posted by Menzie Chinn at 06:39 PM permalink | Comments (22)
December 25, 2005
Prices and energy use
More evidence that yes, rising prices change consumers' behavior.
Continue reading "Prices and energy use"
Posted by James Hamilton at 03:43 PM permalink | Comments (14)
December 23, 2005
Wages and compensation: a correction
Thanks to my readers Movie Guy, Joe Rotger, and Spencer (as well as Dave Altig in personal email communication) for helping to clarify a misunderstanding I may have helped promote with my post earlier this week on wages and total compensation.
Continue reading "Wages and compensation: a correction"
Posted by James Hamilton at 07:34 AM permalink | Comments (32)
December 22, 2005
Podcast with Kudlow & Company
I had a reunion with two of my previous pajama party participants, Paul Hoffmeister of Polyconomics, and Larry Kudlow of Kudlow and Company and Money Politics. This time we had an old-fashioned spoken conversation on the state of the economy that's available as a podcast.
Continue reading "Podcast with Kudlow & Company"
Posted by James Hamilton at 02:00 PM permalink | Comments (2)
December 21, 2005
What's out there?
New IMF quarterly data on central bank reserve holdingsContinue reading "What's out there?"
Posted by Menzie Chinn at 07:51 AM permalink | Comments (7)
December 20, 2005
Rockfall lawsuit
When I expressed dismay this fall about a lawsuit against the National Park Service on behalf of a rock climber killed by a rock slide, several readers told me not to worry, the case would be dismissed. Well, you were right.
Continue reading "Rockfall lawsuit"
Posted by James Hamilton at 06:17 PM permalink | Comments (31)
December 19, 2005
Declining real wages
How concerned should we be about the downward trend in real wages?
Continue reading "Declining real wages"
Posted by James Hamilton at 08:39 PM permalink | Comments (29)
December 17, 2005
The real yield curve
Economist's View reported last week on a letter from Alan Greenspan that addressed some questions about monetary policy posed for the Fed Chair by Representative Jim Saxton (R-NJ). I was particularly interested in Greenspan's explanation of why he is not concerned about the seemingly bearish connotations of the slope of the yield curve.
Continue reading "The real yield curve"
Posted by James Hamilton at 07:37 PM permalink | Comments (20)
Beat that growth rate!
Simon World and Daniel Gross are just a wee bit suspicious of the claim that Chinese GDP grew by 18% overnight (which would be 2 x 1028% at an annual rate).
There's no question that China is experiencing very strong growth. But exactly how much? I doubt that anybody knows for sure.
Posted by James Hamilton at 07:27 AM permalink | Comments (6)
December 16, 2005
Current Account figures for 2005q3
Reading behind the numbers
Continue reading "Current Account figures for 2005q3"
Posted by Menzie Chinn at 06:52 AM permalink | Comments (8)
December 15, 2005
The ungouging of gas prices
As long as you're willing to twist (or ignore) enough of the facts, you can continue to be persuaded that the earth is actually flat.
Continue reading "The ungouging of gas prices"
Posted by James Hamilton at 09:27 AM permalink | Comments (81)
December 14, 2005
October trade balance numbers
At the tail ends of the distribution of expectations
Continue reading "October trade balance numbers"
Posted by Menzie Chinn at 07:36 AM permalink | Comments (34)
December 12, 2005
The gold standard and the Great Depression
How the gold standard contributed to the Great Depression.
Continue reading "The gold standard and the Great Depression"
Posted by James Hamilton at 12:58 PM permalink | Comments (36)
December 10, 2005
Blogjam at the PJ Corral
I participated in a blogjam yesterday hosted by Pajamas Media. What's a blogjam, you ask?
Continue reading "Blogjam at the PJ Corral"
Posted by James Hamilton at 09:02 AM permalink | Comments (20)
December 08, 2005
Only 17 more (oil) shopping days until December 31
Does everybody remember this story from July 3?
Continue reading "Only 17 more (oil) shopping days until December 31"
Posted by James Hamilton at 09:58 AM permalink | Comments (35)
Best business weblog award
Thanks to Dave Schuler of the Glittering Eye for nominating Econbrowser for best business blog award for 2005.
Posted by James Hamilton at 08:46 AM permalink | Comments (4)
December 05, 2005
Oil sands
Are oil sands the answer to peak oil? They'll help some, to be sure. But they're not a reason to ignore the issue.
Posted by James Hamilton at 07:50 PM permalink | Comments (32)
December 04, 2005
Investing in gold
Should you be looking at gold as an investment?
Continue reading "Investing in gold"
Posted by James Hamilton at 06:34 AM permalink | Comments (41)
December 03, 2005
Past and incipient expenditures for operations in Iraq
Larry Lindsey was right. And wrong.
Continue reading "Past and incipient expenditures for operations in Iraq"
Posted by Menzie Chinn at 05:19 PM permalink | Comments (5)
December 02, 2005
November auto sales
Lower gas prices aren't bringing Americans back to the large SUV's.
Continue reading "November auto sales"
Posted by James Hamilton at 06:04 AM permalink | Comments (52)