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Thursday, November 15, 2012

The Two-Way

Superstorm Sandy Sends Jobless Claims Up Sharply

The line was long last week at a job fair in Chicago.

November 15, 2012 The storm threw some people onto unemployment rolls and shut down some state offices the previous week — meaning some laid-off workers couldn't file their claims until last week.

Summary

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Planet Money

Inflation Isn't About The Price Of Corn. It's About Wages.

earnings

September 5, 2012 Why inflation is still low, even as the price of some commodities is rising.

Summary

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Planet Money

Everybody Always Thinks Inflation Is Higher Than It Really Is

Gas accounts for only about 5 percent of spending for a typical household.

August 15, 2012 "When prices go up, they notice it. When prices go down, they don't care."

Summary

The Two-Way

Inflation Stayed In Check Last Month: No Change In July

August 15, 2012 A sluggish economy has kept prices from rising. But a recent uptick in the price of gasoline and the effects of this summer's drought on food costs could put some upward pressure on inflation in coming months.

Summary

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

The Two-Way

Retail Sales Rose 0.8 Percent In July; More Than Expected

August 14, 2012 The gain could be a sign that consumers are growing more confident.

Summary

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

The Two-Way

Sharp Drop In Gas Prices Puts Brakes On Inflation

June 13, 2012 Wholesale prices fell 1 percent in May from April thanks to an 8.9 percent plunge in the price of gasoline.

Summary

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

The Two-Way

Consumer Prices, Consumer Spending Both Flat In April

May 15, 2012 Dropping gas prices helped hold inflation down. Meanwhile, April consumer spending may have been slowed because warm weather in March encouraged folks to get out their wallets then.

Summary

Friday, April 13, 2012

The Two-Way

Tame Inflation Report Gives Federal Reserve Reason To Stay Easy

April 13, 2012 The news that consumer prices rose a relatively modest 0.3 percent in March from February supports "the view the U.S. Federal Reserve has room to provide more support for the economy if needed," Reuters concludes.

Summary

Friday, March 16, 2012

The Two-Way

Consumer Prices Rose 0.4 Percent Last Month; Factory Output Up 0.3 Percent

March 16, 2012 A spike in gasoline prices fueled the increase. The so-called core rate of inflation remained in check.

Summary

Thursday, January 19, 2012

The Two-Way

Jobless Claims Drop, Inflation At 3 Percent, Housing Starts Cool

January 19, 2012 First-time claims for unemployment insurance plunged by 50,000 last week from the week before, to 352,000. They're now near a four-year low.

Summary

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

The Two-Way

Wholesale Prices Rose 4.8 Percent Last Year

January 18, 2012 That's up from 2010's 3.8 percent rate. Not surprisingly, food and energy products were a major reason for the faster pace. Excluding those groups, wholesale prices of finished goods rose 3 percent last year.

Summary

Wednesday, January 04, 2012

The Salt

When 'Budget' Foods Start To Eat Away At The Wallet

Ground beef used to be a cheap, go-to dinner meat, but no longer.

January 4, 2012 The cost of budget-friendly foods like ground beef, potatoes, and eggs soared 10 percent over the past year, pinching household budgets even harder. Blame bad weather, export competition, and the fact that more people are cooking at home to save money. This year may be a bit better, but not much.

Summary

Thursday, December 15, 2011

The Two-Way

Jobless Claims Drop To Lowest Level In More Than Three Years

December 15, 2011 The decline was not expected. It brings claims down closer to a level associated with an improving labor market.

Summary

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

The Two-Way

Fed: Economy 'Expanding Moderately,' Policy Unchanged

December 13, 2011 Policymakers expect unemployment will continue to gradually decline and that inflation will remain in check.

Summary

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

The Two-Way

Consumer Prices Ticked Down In October

November 16, 2011 Falling energy costs kept inflation in check. But oil prices are up today, a sign that coming inflation reports might not be as welcome.

Summary

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