Well, here’s some bad news. Reuters says that the ABC News/Washington Post Consumer Comfort Index dropped to -33 in the week ended Feb. 3, which is its lowest reading since November 1993.
In a separate ABC News/Washington Post poll released earlier this week, 59 percent of Americans said they think the economy is already in a recession.
“Whatever the senate does they should not delay this package. They should not keep money out of your pocket, the sooner you get a check, the more likely it is that the stimulus package will kick in and make a difference. So my attitude is if that if you’re truly interested in dealing with the slowdown in the economy—the Senate ought to accept the House package, pass it, and get it to my desk as soon as possible.”
Walmart says it’s going to cut prices 10-30% in order to help “cash-strapped consumers” and keep them “excited about shopping.”
Despite the fact that the Fed cut the federal funds rate on overnight loans between banks to 3.5 percent from 4.25 percent in an attempt to prevent a sell-off in U.S. markets, the Dow Jones Industrial average opened down by more than 460 points.
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Now that SallieMae buy-out deal has crumbled and they’re facing much higher borrowing costs due to the subprime fiasco, the unpopular student lender will shed 3% of its workforce, or 350 jobs, mostly CSRs at their call centers.
It looks like Bush’s economic stimulus package is going to take the form of instant cash bonuses: $800 for individuals and $1600 for married couples. That’s dumb, everyone should get Costco coupons! All kidding aside, the NYT says the ~$500 rebates granted after the 2001 recessions proved “surprisingly effective…people spent most of the money rather than salting it away in savings or using it to pay down credit card debt. A 2004 study by economists at the Department of Labor, Princeton University, and the University of Pennsylvania found that households spent between 20 and 40 percent of the rebate within three months and another third in the following three months.” Will this “wealth surge” be just what the countries needs to beat back the forces of recession holed up in our economy, terrorizing our financial well-being? Bring on Operation Cash Dump.
The money transfer services provider’s stock lost half its value Jan. 15 after the company disclosed a plan to recapitalize its balance sheet that depends on its ability to shed its risky loan portfolio.
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Bank of America will “scale back its structured products unit, stop offering collateralized debt obligations and sell the prime brokerage that caters to hedge funds, eliminating 650 jobs.”
There are mounting anecdotal signs that beginning in December Americans cut back significantly on personal consumption, which accounts for 70 percent of the economy.
American Express stock fell 7% after saying it would have to write off $275 million, thanks to more and more customers not paying their bills. What is probably happening is that people can’t tap their home equity so they’re going to the next easiest line of credit, credit cards, and failing to pay their bills there as well. In Walden, Thoreau talks about how early New Englanders would make their first homes by digging a cellar in the ground and putting a roof of saplings and bark over the top of it. My, that would make a mighty fine recession shelter.
In a speech today Feddy Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke suggested that even steeper interest rates could be in the works. His strong language suggests that they’re considering a half-point drop, down from the current rate of 4.25%. If they follow through, the cut would be expected to be announced at the next Reserve Board meeting on January 29th. Last time rates were cut we took a look at how it affects the price of a bushel of corn in Kansas, i.e., you the average consumer, and another rate cut would be more of the same.
A new study says that 86,000 mortgage related jobs were cut due to the weakening housing market, says CNNMoney. Diabolical mustache-twirling evidence-forging lender Countrywide unburdened itself of the most workers, cutting 11,665.
Steve Carrigan is in charge of economic development for Stockton. He says bank loans made it a party every day.
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Sales of existing homes rose slightly for the first time in 9 months, but prices fell. Analysts do not think the bottom has yet been reached: “Given stress in the mortgage market and depressed buyer sentiment, we judge this to be a brief respite and look for sales to fall further,” Lehman Brothers economist Michelle Meyer said. [Wall Street Journal]
It was the largest drop in more than 16 years and marked the 10th consecutive month of price depreciation and 23 months of decelerating returns.
The International Council of Shopping Centers said same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least a year during the November-December period, appear to be coming in just below meager projections, though it said post-Christmas buying could help restore the shortfall.
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