Topic: Joel Naroff

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Decoder Wire Unemployment rate tampering? Why conspiracy theorists went wild.

Retired GE CEO Jack Welch saw Friday's jobs report, with its 7.8 percent unemployment rate, as 'unbelievable.' Others on the right piled on, suggesting Obama administration tampering. But the jobs number in question has been known to vary widely month to month.
Will jobs report give a timely lift to Obama's record on the economy?

At 7.8 percent, the US unemployment rate is now back to the point it was when President Obama took office. But Mitt Romney say it's still not a recovery – and that the real jobless rate is closer to 11 percent.
Holidays to cheer: Retailers plan to increase hiring this season

Good back-to-school sales and rising consumer confidence are leading many retailers to add more seasonal jobs than they did last year – and many could become permanent.
Retail sales buoy hopes for economy (+video)

Retail sales rise 0.8 percent in July, the most since February. Every major category of retail sales show improvement.
Gourmet Aleppo pepper: a culinary casualty of the Syria war

For Americans following the war in Syria, Aleppo is the dateline of major clashes between the army and rebels. But for those with gourmet tastes, it's also the name of a pepper they'd prefer not do without.
US adds 80,000 jobs in June, as growth remains sluggish

Job creation in June was affected by the financial crisis in Europe, uncertainty about the future of health-care reform, and even the heat. A rare bright spot? Hiring of temp workers is up.
Focus Unpacking 'Romneyomics': how Mitt would adjust dials on the US economy

MItt Romney offers a prescription for the ailing US economy that hews to Republican principles. But it also has some unorthodox differences. Well-off Americans could get fewer government benefits and pay more for Medicare.
Poor unemployment report points to troubled US economy

The US added 69,000 jobs in May, the Labor Department reported Friday – the third straight month of disappointing jobs numbers. The unemployment rate edged higher, to 8.2 percent.
Gasoline prices: Have we reached the top yet, or just a false summit?

The danger of consumer sticker shock faded at the pumps this week as gasoline prices appeared to hit a plateau. But analysts are divided over where they go from here.
1940 Census data: what you need to know to look up relatives

Monday's release of 1940 Census data sets off frenzy to dig into records on family past, crashing the website. When it comes back online, you'll need to know a few basics.
Unemployment rate drops to 8.3 percent. Is that a problem for Mitt Romney?

It could become harder for Republicans such as Mitt Romney to blame President Obama for a lack of jobs. In January, the unemployment rate fell to its lowest level since February 2009.
Unemployment rate falls to 8.5%; GOP still using jobs as battering ram (+video)

The US economy netted 200,000 new jobs in December, and the unemployment rate fell. Even as Democratic politicians hail the jobs report, Republicans say any number above 8 percent is unacceptable by now.
Phew! Employers cut fewer jobs in October than expected.

Announced layoffs by governments and businesses, at 42,759, were the fewest since June, says a new report. That's a big improvement over September's 155,730 job losses.
Rick Perry's flat tax plan: Would you have to do your taxes twice?

People could opt for flat tax rate of 20 percent or stick with the current tax system. The Rick Perry plan offers choice, but people might need to do two calculations to tell which is best, some say.
A long, steep drop for Americans' standard of living

Not since at least 1960 has the US standard of living fallen so fast for so long. The average American has $1,315 less in annual disposable income now than at the onset of the Great Recession.
Obama deficit plan: Is there ever a good time for a tax increase?

The Obama deficit plan would raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans, but would it hurt the economy? The answer to that question depends on what happens during the next two years.
US economy 'has barely budged': 1.3 percent growth in GDP

The GDP grew at an annual rate of only 1.3 percent in the second quarter of 2011, announces the Commerce Department, which also revised first-quarter growth down to 0.4 percent.
US reports a drop in jobless claims. Is this the beginning of something?

Weekly unemployment claims dropped below 400,000 in the most recent report. While some see this as a signal that the economy is firming up, others caution that more positive indicators are needed.
Economic bright spot: bargain-hunting foreigners flocking to US

The dollar has taken a beating, but that makes America an attractive destination for foreigners looking for bargain vacations. It's a boon for the US tourist industry and travel-related jobs.
New jobs down, unemployment up: Is the economy hitting a pothole or a ditch?

Unemployment increased to 9.1 percent in May, and only 54,000 new jobs were created. Economists point to lingering impacts of the tsunami plus rising food and gas prices.
McDonald's jobs: Hiring 50,000 workers signals larger shift in economy

McDonald’s jobs are a sign that businesses can no longer provide more goods and services by just increasing productivity. McDonald’s is holding a National Hiring Day on Tuesday.
Dow is down, oil prices up as nervous markets eye Libya's Qaddafi

Unfounded rumors, such as one that a besieged Qaddafi plans to destroy Libya's oil wells, drove oil prices above $100 a barrel Wednesday before closing at $98.10. It all means higher gasoline prices for consumers.
Inflation rate: why prices are rising on everything from cornflakes to socks

The Consumer Price Index, a measure of the inflation rate, rose 0.4 percent in December and January. This is the first time the CPI has increased this much for two straight months since 2008.
Inflation rate headed up? The impact of higher food, energy prices.

Higher food and energy prices helped propel the Producer Price Index up by 1.1 percent in December. But the outlook on the inflation rate is not entirely bleak, some say.
Who needs Black Friday? More stores are opening Thanksgiving Day.

Surveys show that more consumers want to get a jump on Black Friday and shop on Thanksgiving Day. With retailers desperate to boost sales, an increasing number are staying open.