-
Archives
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
-
Meta
Tag Archives: Interest Rates
A Random Walk Through the Minefield
In the last 48 hours, so much news has come out of Europe that has me frankly shaking my head. It is a strange game of brinksmanship they are playing, and it is one we should be paying attention to (as if the brinkmanship played by US politicians over the debt ceiling is not enough). This week we look at what seems to be European leaders taking random walks through the minefield at the very heart of the European Experiment. Continue reading
Posted in Economic News, Fresh Perspectives
Tagged Debt, GDP, Greece, Greek Default, Interest Rates, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, The Euro, The Fed
Leave a comment
The “Miracle” of Compound Inflation
Higher inflation means US debt is easier to pay back, as nominal GDP is what we pay taxes on, not inflation-adjusted. Inflation is a tried and true method of dealing with too much debt. Inflation is also just another word for default, but it sounds so much better to the ear. Continue reading
Posted in Economic News, Fresh Perspectives
Tagged Debt, GDP, Inflation, Interest Rates, The Dollar
Leave a comment
What If Home Prices Were Counted In Inflation?
The Fed makes banking policy decisions, largely influenced by the level of inflation, yet home prices are excluded from the calculation. As home prices skyrocketed, inflation – as it felt to people on the street – was probably underestimated. With today’s falling home prices, we could be in a more deflationary environment than economists give credit. Continue reading
Posted in Home Economics
Tagged Deflation, Home Prices, Inflation, Interest Rates, The Fed
Leave a comment
Housing: 2010 Bright Spots Fading
The few bright spots appear to be a result of government stimulus, the homebuyer tax credits in particular. However, rather than jump-starting the market, the government’s interventions seem to have only had a temporary effect that evaporated as the stimulus expired.
Housing supply vastly outstripped demand in 2010, especially when one considers the shadow inventory of homes with mortgages in default or foreclosure. This state of affairs continues into 2011. As a result, RPX metrics continue to show weakness. Continue reading
Posted in Newsletter, Real Estate Data
Tagged Home Prices, Interest Rates, Stimulus, Tax Credits
Leave a comment