Consumer prices rose 0.4%, more than expected
Prices that consumers pay for a wide variety of goods and services increased at a slightly faster-than-expected pace in September, keeping inflation in the spotlight for policymakers. The consumer price index, a closely followed inflation gauge, increased 0.4% on the month and 3.7% from a year ago, according to a Labor Department report Thursday. That […]
Iowa Has an Amazing History on Taxes
In the old days before the web, I used to go through the Reader’s Digest almanac to find interesting facts. One thing that always grabbed my attention was the tax tables for various states. Hey, I’m a nerd, spelled e-c-o-n-o-m-i-s-t. I remember being surprised at how heavily Iowa’s government taxed income. In 1987, Iowa’s top […]
To beat populists, sensible policymakers must up their game
Listen to this story.Enjoy more audio and podcasts on iOS or Android. Your browser does not support the <audio> element. Politicos, rejoice. When it comes to elections, next year is a big one. In 2024 the Republicans and Democrats will battle it out in America, of course—but there will also be votes of one sort […]
Investors should treat analysis of bond yields with caution
Listen to this story.Enjoy more audio and podcasts on iOS or Android. Your browser does not support the <audio> element. It was james carville, an American political strategist, who said, in an oft-repeated turn of phrase, that if he was reincarnated he would like to return as the bond market, owing to its ability to […]
Retail investors have a surprising new favourite: Treasury bills
Listen to this story.Enjoy more audio and podcasts on iOS or Android. Your browser does not support the <audio> element. When treasury bonds (or t-bills) last yielded as much as they do today—5.5%—punters were relieved that the world had not been destroyed by the millennium bug, Destiny’s Child were atop the charts and the dotcom […]
Hamas war could affect Israel economy
Israeli armuy soldiers deploy at a position near the border with Gaza in southern Israel on October 11, 2023. Menahem Kahana | AFP | Getty Images As Israel prepares for what could be a long war with massive humanitarian implications, there are also concerns about how a protracted fight could weigh on the country’s dynamic […]
