Oil falls below $34 - February 13, 2009 11:37

Crude oil settled below $34 per barrel for the first time in two months on Thursday (February 12). Crude fell to $33.98 after falling by $1.96 during New York trade. The price of a barrel of light sweet crude has dropped by 20 per cent just since Monday. Uncertainty over the ability of the $789 […]

Financial markets unimpressed - February 11, 2009 21:46

Investors and consumers have anxiously awaited development in the economic stimulus plan. After the house passed an $800-plus plan last week, the Senate has debated various aspects of the bill for several days. President Obama has traveled around trying to sell the urgency of passing a bill and putting politics aside.

Retail struggles continue through January - February 6, 2009 10:02

President Obama said Thursday (February 5) that the new economic stimulus bill would include some additional infusion of funds into the credit market. It is the retail sector that was the focus of bad economic news Thursday. Most major retailers struggled through the first month of the New Year as Americans are in a save […]

Gold pushes over $900 again - February 5, 2009 12:45

Gold currently (February 4) sits at just over $903 per ounce. The valuable resource it’s steadily rising higher and looks primed for another move over $1,000 sometime in the near future. Gold went over this mark briefly in the middle of 2008 before falling back a couple hundred dollars in the last several months.

Home sales surprise, car sales crash - February 4, 2009 10:21

Investors were impressed with the report on pending home sales for December from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Stock prices rose about one per cent after the inspiring news. Investors and Americans have watched housing closely for a bottom, thinking this sector offers a potential clue of broader economic prospects.

Home prices drop by record rate - January 28, 2009 17:20

More bad news came for the real estate market on Tuesday (January 27) as President Obama visited with leaders in the GOP to discuss details of his new economic stimulus plan. According to the national Case-Shiller home index that monitors home price movement in 20 of the largest US metropolitan markets, the annual price drop […]

Gold up, Euro down - January 26, 2009 18:15

Gold rose for the eighth consecutive year against the dollar in 2008. Thanks to an unstable economy and a zero per cent interest-rate policy established by the Fed following several rate cuts during the year, more and more speculators turned to the safe money bet (gold) in exchange for dollars.

Tech saves stocks from retail woe - January 26, 2009 18:14

With retailers continuing to struggle through the holiday season and into the New Year, investors have recently begun placing their bets that technology stocks may help hold the market from more steep declines. Circuit City’s announcement that it was closing its remaining 567 stores in the US and liquidating was good news for some of […]

Plans for $350 billion in bailout money - January 14, 2009 13:10

The last days of the Bush Administration are not going quietly, even though President Bush is looking to incoming President Barack Obama to dictate some key moves. In particular, Bush sought direction for his successor on the next step in the process for stimulating the economy using the remaining $350 billion of government bailout money.