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Our coverage of the economy focusing on consumer news, raw economic data, tax policy, trade policy and jobs. Click the links below to cut through the political spin - seeing real numbers for what they are and how they impact your life.
"GOTTA WANT ..."
Dear Editor,
In your article about labor participation rates you failed to identify the real underlying cause: People are just not willing to work.
There are job offer signs everywhere but they may not be the 9-to-5 desk job....
WAGES STILL WEAK, THOUGH ...
The U.S. economy added 222,000 jobs during the month of June, according to data released this week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That print easily beat Wall Street estimates of 179,000 new jobs...
"HOPE" FADES ...
A widely watched index of consumer confidence showed signs of weakness this month - raising fresh concerns about the health of the American economy as "Republican" leaders in Washington, D.C. keep failing to pass key components of president...
MASS STOREFRONT CLOSINGS ...
A retail researcher is projecting the closure of more than 23,000 brick-and-mortar stores in the United States in 2017 and 2018. That's a faster pace than we saw during the peak recession years of 2008 and 2009.
According...
MORE CORPORATE WELFARE ...
South Carolina's demonstrably failed "economic development" strategy of doling out huge corporate welfare packages to foreign multi-national corporations is ramping up ... again.
The latest recipient of our dirt poor citizens' largesse? Wanli Tires, a Chinese-based tire manufacturer that's...
ABOUT TO GO POP?
Want to see what America’s automotive bubble looks like? The website Stock Board Asset has you covered. Over the weekend the investing website posted an aerial video (above) of the glut of automobiles at the port of...
TERRIBLE ECONOMIC DATA ...
The U.S. economy added only 138,000 jobs during the month of May, according to data released this week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That print was well below Wall Street estimates of 185,000...
SOLID SUMMER START?
Summer doesn’t start for another three-and-a-half weeks, but the summer tourism season officially kicked off this Memorial Day weekend.
Will it be a good year for the travel industry? Early signs point to "yes."
According to AAA, a total...
BETTER NEWS ...
The American economy wasn't quite as hot of a mess in the first quarter of 2017 as we originally thought ... but it still has a long way to go to get back on track.
According to the latest data...
KEY METRIC HOLDS ...
After three consecutive months of growth, South Carolina’s labor participation rate remained unchanged during the month of April - according to data released this week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
This critical employment metric...