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In April alone, the U.S. lost more than 20 million jobs — increasing the unemployment rate to 14.7%. Researchers say one of the demographics hit hardest during the pandemic is women workers. Women tend to hold a disproportionate number of jobs in industries such as hospitality, health care and education. Consequently, the unemployment rate for…
In normal times, the stock market is often a reflection of the economy. But these are not normal times. Even though April was marked by a global shutdown of businesses, rampant unemployment and low economic growth, the S&P 500 Index ended the month up 12.9%. This represented the highest one-month gain since 1987 and posted…
Sole proprietors in the U.S. caught a huge break in April. The Paycheck Protection Program, borne out of the economic hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, became available to solo entrepreneurs and independent contractors on April 10, 2020.1 According to a 2017 survey, 36% of U.S. workers are part of the gig economy.2 With so many…
There are several factors contributing to the current housing shortage in the U.S. For starters, low inventory of existing homes for sale has driven up the prices of available housing, leaving many first- and second-time homebuyers unable to afford to buy or trade up. Housing permits for new construction have risen throughout the past couple…
The United States is a very large, land-mass country. Yet, it offers few options in terms of coast-to-coast mass public transit, particularly compared to other developed countries. Europe’s countries tend to be smaller and their cities more dense, making them more transit-friendly. Asian countries made enormous government investments in urban rail networks just as their…
Here’s some food for thought regarding the aftermath of Watergate: “The great paradox of one of the worst presidential scandals of the 20th century was that it forced candidates to stop attacking each other and start persuading the nation that they could be trusted.”1 Wouldn’t it be nice if the 2020 elections followed this same…
One of the reasons investing never gets boring is because it is an ever-changing, never-sleeping industry that presents new opportunities — and new risks — every day. One of the most recent threats to the global business economy, and therefore investors, is the coronavirus and its far-reaching impact. China, home to much of the world’s…
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the amount of heat stored in the upper levels of the ocean reached an all-time high in 2019. This is a primary factor that contributes to the rise in sea levels. Furthermore, the world’s five warmest years have all occurred since 2015.1 On the heels of Davos…
After making a bunch of gloom-and-doom predictions about the markets in 2019, with fears of a pending recession, Wall Street money managers have a considerably more brightened outlook for 2020. Indeed, recent indicators have heightened expectations for U.S. economic growth this year. For example, the Conference Board is predicting a 2.1% rise in the gross…
Recently, President Trump bemoaned the inconveniences of low-flow toilets, showers, dishwashers and energy-efficient lightbulbs – all implemented in the wake of government regulation aimed toward conservation efforts.1 One issue in the political divide between parties is disagreement about the role of government in the economy. When Congress passes legislation or the administration’s Cabinet departments impose…
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