ECONOMY: Winter Storms Expected To Slow Economy Slightly
The blizzards in the Northeast and Midwest are freezing up the economy nationwide, but thankfully, only a little bit: “Deutsche Bank says it thinks severe weather last month hurt the job market in January,” reports National Public Radio. “But history suggests any weather-related slowdown in hiring might not last long.” One part of the country whose economy may actually be heating up? Florida. “As the snowy winter drags on up North, local tourism leaders see a bright side,” chimes The Miami Herald.
ELECTRONICS: Sluggish TV sales mean bargains for buyers
High-definition flat-screen TV prices are anything but high or flat these days – they’re falling. “For the first time since digital TVs hit the market in 2005, TV sales are dropping” claims USA Today. “That could mean major markdowns for customers. Best Buy, which had double-digit percentage declines in TV sales in December from the year before, has 35 to 40 percent off some Samsung and Sony LCD TVs.”
TRAVEL: Air fares on the upswing as jet fuel costs increase
You may not be flying to Egypt anytime soon, but that country’s turmoil will make it more costly for you to fly anywhere else, as oil prices have jumped amid fear that the Suez Canal traffic could be disrupted. Reports USA Today: “U.S. and foreign airlines are adding fuel surcharges – or increasing base fares – to deal with the rising fuel cost of jet fuel, which is going up with the price of crude oil.”
INVESTING: Ready for 100-year Treasury bonds?
Talk about investing in your children’s future. “Wall Street’s latest advice to our deficit-addled government is to sell bonds that almost no one will live long enough to collect on,” says CNN. “The feds should consider issuing bonds that mature in 40, 50 and even 100 years, the Treasury Borrowing Advisory Committee told the government this week.”
JOBS: Private employers added 187,000 jobs in January
Since January is usually a month when employers cut jobs, this is some good news: “U.S. private employers added more jobs than expected in January, underscoring views the employment picture is slowly improving,” reports MSNBC. Nice way to start the day…
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