Commentary

WWU Center for Economic and Business Research️ 5 hours ago

Roughly half of Americans say it’s harder than usual to afford the things they want to give as holiday gifts, and similar numbers are delaying big purchases or cutting back on nonessential purchases more than they normally would, a new AP-NORC poll finds. https://buff.ly/lbueKL7

WWU Center for Economic and Business Research️ 7 hours ago

The Fed reappointed 11 of its 12 regional bank presidents, amid speculation that President Trump would try to remove some of them to exert more control over the central bank. https://buff.ly/wRABE7J

WWU Center for Economic and Business Research️ 7 hours ago

Ski season is upon us. That should be good news for Vail Resorts, the world’s largest mountain-resort operator. But this winter will provide a crucial test for a new pricing plan the company is betting on to break out of a multiyear slide.

WWU Center for Economic and Business Research️ 9 hours ago

Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs expect the dollar to resume its slide next year. The greenback has steadied after its steepest first-half drop since the early 1970s, triggered by Trump’s trade war. But strategists predict renewed weakness as the Fed continues easing while other central banks hold firm or even move toward tightening. That divergence would prod investors to sell US debt and redirect funds to markets offering higher yields.

WWU Center for Economic and Business Research️ 12 hours ago

It’s been 35 years since the McCallisters rushed off to spend Christmas in Paris and left 8-year-old Kevin “Home Alone.” These days, such a trip, the mansion in a wealthy Chicago suburb, and even the most basic needs would be impossible for a normal family with five children to afford. The cost of raising five kids in the Windy City has spiraled from as little as $33,500 in 1990 to about $165,000 today — $36,000 above the average couple’s income, according to analysis from InvestorsObserver. Only food, childcare and medical expenses are included in that sum. Parents elsewhere are even worse off. In Philadelphia or Cleveland, the gap between income and child-related expenditures for a set of five is a jarring $87,000. “The movie we all love shows a life that the larger part of families could only dream of,” said Sam Bourgi, senior analyst at InvestorsObserver. “The reality is that some struggle with food, some with healthcare, and some with mortgages. That especially can happen in the expensive metro areas, where even with dual income, families struggle to cover basic necessities.”

WWU Center for Economic and Business Research️ 14 hours ago

Retail sales saw strong year-over-year growth in November, with the first half of the holiday shopping season putting results on track to meet the National Retail Federation’s spending forecast. https://buff.ly/PzCeyEK