Long View

Latest Long View News & Insights Insights into economic and market news that matters to you

• Oil Prices Plunge: Why Now?

  Oil dropped below $90 per barrel this morning, after the International Energy Agency announced that it will release 60 million barrels of oil next month "in response to the ongoing disruption of oil supplies from Libya." As part of the plan, the US will open its Strategic Petroleum Reserve -- to...

  Blog posts | 06-23-11

• Weekly Initial Unemployment Claims Increase to 429,000

  Just a quick note on today's release of data on new claims for unemployment insurance. The news is not good, claims remain elevated: In the week ending June 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 429,000, an increase of 9,000 from the previous week's revised figure...

  Blog posts | 06-23-11

• J.K. Rowling Goes Direct to Consumers With Harry Potter E-Books

  In a move that sidesteps traditional online booksellers such as Amazon and Apple's iBookstore, mega-selling author J.K. Rowling announced Thursday that she's created a site to sell all seven best-selling Harry Potter books for the first time in digital form beginning this summer. by Drew Gannon

  Blog posts | 06-23-11

• Beat the Fed: How to Earn 4% On Your Checking Account

  The Federal Reserve just said it intends to keep its interest rates super low for an "extended period." That doesn't mean you have to settle for piddly checking account yields of 0.10 percent. Bankrate's new survey of high-yield checking accounts unearths some gems paying up to 4 percent. by...

  Blog posts | 06-23-11

• Housing Stinks: Feds Offer $50,000

  You know the basic facts: a housing bubble (home prices doubled from 2000-2006) financed by a credit bubble finally explodes, leaving millions of excess homes on the market. All of that inventory slams prices, which creates a vicious cycle of more underwater homeowners struggling to keep pace...

  Blog posts | 06-23-11

• Bernanke Disappoints Markets On QE3

  Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke gave another one of his "innovative" press conferences this afternoon, reiterating that the US economy is recovering only weakly, and ruling out, for the time being at least, another round of quantitative easing. Thus the press conference didn't really provide any new...

  Blog posts | 06-22-11

• Bernanke Press Conference: No Additional Easing

  In his press conference today following the Fed's Open Market Committee meeting, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke all but ruled out the possibility of a third round of quantitative easing. by Mark Thoma

  Blog posts | 06-22-11

• Apple Set to Release iPhone 5 in September

  Almost exactly a year since the iPhone 4 was released, Apple plans to release yet another version of its phenomenally popular smartphone this September. by Drew Gannon

  Blog posts | 06-22-11

• The Fed's Monetary Policy Meeting: Policy Stays on Hold

  As expected, there was no change in Fed policy. QE2 will end on schedule on June 30, the Fed won't begin reversing QE1 and QE2 yet, i.e. it won't reduce the size of its balance sheet, it gave no hint at all of willingness to move on to QE3, and interest rates will remain low for an "extended...

  Blog posts | 06-22-11

• Fed Decision: What I Wish Bernanke Said

  The Federal Reserve's Open Market Committee has met and here's the upshot: NO CHANGE, exactly as Mark Thoma predicted yesterday. Here's what you need to know about current Fed policy: Federal funds rate (short term interest rates) = 0 - 0.25 percent (rates have been at this level since...

  Blog posts | 06-22-11

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