quote:



A soft patch or something worse?


WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. economy appears to be running dangerously close to stall speed, and the rest of the world may not have enough oomph to compensate.

At the start of 2011, growth looked solid. The U.S. unemployment rate was finally dropping, consumers were in a spending mood, and economists were busily upgrading first-quarter growth projections to the range of 4 percent.

Those forecasts are falling fast. Many economists now think the U.S. economy grew at a sluggish 1.5 percent to 2 percent pace over the first three months of the year, and one forecaster even raised the possibility of a negative reading.

Whether this is a short-lived blip or a more worrisome dip depends largely on which way oil prices move, and how consumers and businesses around the world respond. Goldman Sachs economist Andrew Tilton said downside risk was "unfortunately a phrase we have been using a lot lately."

A quiet week for economic data probably won't bring much, if any, good news. The highlights include a clutch of U.S. housing reports, which will serve as yet another reminder that the real estate slump persists.
...
If oil prices don't cooperate, all bets are off. Not only would expensive oil exacerbate inflation pressures in emerging markets, pushing them to tighten credit conditions even further, it would also sap U.S. discretionary spending.


Capital Economics holds one of the most bearish views on the U.S. economy, predicting first-quarter growth at just a 1 percent annual rate.


"There is now even a decent outside chance that the economy contracted outright," economist Paul Ashworth said, adding that the surge in energy and food prices "changed everything."

Full article at http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110417/bs_nm/us_economy_weekahead_outlook

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There are a LOT of people out of work out here! Way more than the "9%" the govt tells us.

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ORIGINAL: WantsOfTheFlesh

I think it should be understood that a recession is something that can’t always be avoided when it sets in deeply. If a country is in serious dept trying to spend its way out is a very risky proposition when the markets are sceptical.

It reminds me of the Peter Sellers film Being There:

Chance the Gardener: Yes. In the garden, growth has it seasons. First comes spring and summer, but then we have fall and winter. And then we get spring and summer again.

Benjamin Rand: I think what our insightful young friend is saying is that we welcome the inevitable seasons of nature, but we're upset by the seasons of our economy.

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ORIGINAL: popeye1250

I was watching the business channel and one guy said something about a "double dip recession."
The other guy said, "since when did we ever come out of the first one?"
There are a LOT of people out of work out here! Way more than the "9%" the govt tells us.
This would be an excellent time to get out of those "free trade" deals like "Nafta", "Cafta" and also "favored nation status" with China.
We need to start manufacturing things in this country again.
Unbelievable that Hillary Clinton is in S. Korea touting a "free-trade" deal with them! She can't see that "Nafta" was a huge mistake and a disaster?
Of course not, she's a "lawyer!"
We *all* need to call our congressmen and senators and tell them to get us O-U-T of those rediculous "free-trade" deals! If you don't call them at all that is one call you should make!

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sanity
Do you suppose that the antibusiness policies of the Democrats could be steering the economy back into recession? In other words, dont you find it a bit unusual for spring to be followed by winter...

quote:

ORIGINAL: WantsOfTheFlesh
I think it should be understood that a recession is something that can’t always be avoided when it sets in deeply. If a country is in serious dept trying to spend its way out is a very risky proposition when the markets are sceptical.

It reminds me of the Peter Sellers film Being There:

Chance the Gardener: Yes. In the garden, growth has it seasons. First comes spring and summer, but then we have fall and winter. And then we get spring and summer again.

Benjamin Rand: I think what our insightful young friend is saying is that we welcome the inevitable seasons of nature, but we're upset by the seasons of our economy.

quote:

Wall St falls on U.S. outlook, global economy

[image]http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/d/0c/d0c3eb8ca18907492a4b337b5cec5193.jpeg[/image]




NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. stocks tumbled on Monday as Standard & Poor's downgraded the credit outlook of the United States, adding to worries about the global economy after China curbed liquidity.

Investors also were focused on Greece where financial markets are increasingly convinced the country will have to renegotiate the terms of its public debt, recognizing

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ORIGINAL: popeye1250

I was watching the business channel and one guy said something about a "double dip recession."
The other guy said, "since when did we ever come out of the first one?"

We never came out of it really, it is a lie, no one really knows what the real unemployment rate is, underemployment, and number of people that have given up looking rates are.
Have you looked around at the foreclosures lately?

But, I have great news, McDonald's is hiring 50,000 people, Popeye!


There are a LOT of people out of work out here! Way more than the "9%" the govt tells us.
This would be an excellent time to get out of those "free trade" deals like "Nafta", "Cafta" and also "favored nation status" with China.
We need to start manufacturing things in this country again.

Maybe we can re-open some of the factories that have been closed for over 20 years in Detroit.

Unbelievable that Hillary Clinton is in S. Korea touting a "free-trade" deal with them! She can't see that "Nafta" was a huge mistake and a disaster?
Of course not, she's a "lawyer!"
We *all* need to call our congressmen and senators and tell them to get us O-U-T of those rediculous "free-trade" deals! If you don't call them at all that is one call you should make!

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ORIGINAL: Lucylastic

hm I beg to differ, the people in charge of the companies who moved jobs etc are to blame, Many Mexicans and Canadians would be more than happy to cancel sending their oil to the US. The jobs didnt come here, while many went to mexico take into consideration that Canada and Mexico are the two top exporters of oil for US markets
now where does that leave you??

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lucylastic

hm I beg to differ, the people in charge of the companies who moved jobs etc are to blame, Many Mexicans and Canadians would be more than happy to cancel sending their oil to the US. The jobs didnt come here, while many went to mexico take into consideration that Canada and Mexico are the two top exporters of oil for US markets
now where does that leave you??

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ORIGINAL: Marini

I am not sure if this was directed to me or not, Lucy.

I blame the corporations, and the wonderful policies that have been passed like {NAFTA}.

The primary winners of outsourcing are the greedy, soulless, corporations.
The primary losers are the American workers.

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ORIGINAL: Sanity


If enough people like you hate American employers as much as you do why should they stay, they would be crazy to

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ORIGINAL: Marini

I am not sure if this was directed to me or not, Lucy.

I blame the corporations, and the wonderful policies that have been passed like {NAFTA}.

The primary winners of outsourcing are the greedy, soulless, corporations.
The primary losers are the American workers.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Marini

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lucylastic

hm I beg to differ, the people in charge of the companies who moved jobs etc are to blame, Many Mexicans and Canadians would be more than happy to cancel sending their oil to the US. The jobs didnt come here, while many went to mexico take into consideration that Canada and Mexico are the two top exporters of oil for US markets
now where does that leave you??

I am not sure if this was directed to me or not, Lucy.

I blame the corporations, and the wonderful policies that have been passed like {NAFTA}.

The primary winners of outsourcing are the greedy, soulless, corporations.
The primary losers are the American workers.

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ORIGINAL: Marini

lol Sanity, people like me?

Yes, we need unions to protect us against soulless greedy bastards that would have us all working in the slave like conditions they create in most of the 3rd world factories.

We all should be thankful to work for $5 a day! That would buy us 1 gallon of gas.

Sanity, where are the jobs these days? How is our great and growing wonderful economy doing, dude?

Happy Monday!
Happy Spring Break to me!

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ORIGINAL: Lucylastic

LOL Unions are to blame for 8 nearly 9 million jobs lost  in the us alone?
They werrent all outsourced
Government regulations and Unions  are forcing  CEOs  to collect 9 million dollars salary?
while the CEOS have authorised how many pink slips?
but no its the govmnt and unions who are to blame
Im so damn glad I dont have to live in your head.