Archives: September 2007

BEA jumps into the 21st century with new R&D figures

Posted by: Michael Mandel on September 28, Categories: Tech

The Bureau of Economic Analysis took a big leap into the 21st century today. The agency released a new set of figures on R&D spending and how it affects the...

Is Overtime Necessary?

Posted by: Michael Mandel on September 24, Categories: Labor Market

Over the past few years, companies have paid out more than $1 billion per year to settle "wage and hour" lawsuits--typically violations of overtime. That's according to the latest BW...

Department of Perverse Effects

Posted by: Michael Mandel on September 21, Categories: Financial markets

Suppose that the rate cuts work, and the financial markets calm down. Then money will flow out of the very safe ten-year Treasuries, so long rates will rise. Added to...

Long-term productivity

Posted by: Michael Mandel on September 14, Categories: Growth

As part of my latest piece on Fed policy, I asked several top economists for their forecast of long-term productivity growth. The exact question for the mini-survey was: What do...

Bernanke Still Thinks It is a Low-Rate World

Posted by: Michael Mandel on September 11, Categories: Financial markets

In a speech today, Bernanke said that "the fundamental elements of the global saving glut remain in place." Is the words of someone who is worried about a credit crunch?...

Today's job numbers

Posted by: Michael Mandel on September 07, Categories: Macro

If you are worrying about the economy, don't start with the weak job report--start with yesterday's productivity report. Nonfarm productivity has only risen by 0.9% over the past year. The...

So this is what a credit crunch looks like?

Posted by: Michael Mandel on September 04, Categories: Financial markets

From Bloomberg (August 31): U.S. corporate bond sales soared to $92.5 billion this month, setting an August record, rebounding from the slowest month in two years....San Antonio-based AT&T raised $2...

What the Income Report Tells Us About College Grads

Posted by: Michael Mandel on September 04, Categories: Labor Market

I've made my own little subspeciality in recent years..when the Census income report comes out, I calculate whether the real earnings of college grads has gone up or down. Last...