Full Report – Beige Book, November 30, 2011 and Links to the Districts: “Overall economic activity increased at a slow to moderate pace since the previous report across all Federal Reserve Districts except St. Louis, which reported a decline in economic activity. District reports indicated that consumer spending rose modestly during the reporting period. Motor vehicle sales increased in a number of Districts, and tourism showed signs of strength. Business service activity was flat to higher since the previous report. Manufacturing activity expanded at a steady pace across most of the country. Overall bank lending increased slightly since the previous report, and home refinancing grew at a more rapid pace. Changes in credit standards and credit quality varied across Districts. Residential real estate activity generally remained sluggish, and commercial real estate activity remained lackluster across most of the nation. Single family home construction was weak and commercial construction was slow. Districts mostly reported favorable agricultural conditions. Activity in the energy and mining sectors increased since the previous report.”
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Monthly Archives: November 2011
New Study Examines Differences in How Central Banks Implement Policy
News release: “Central banks differ in their approaches to implementing monetary policy, both in good economic times and in bad, according to a study released today by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The study, entitled “Monetary Policy Implementation: Common Goals but Different Practices,” is the latest article in the New York Fed series… Continue Reading
New GAO Reports: Palau, Haiti, Medicare Advantage, Mental Health and Substance Use, Private Health Insurance, Recovery Act, SBA, VA
Compact of Free Association: Proposed U.S. Assistance to Palau for Fiscal Years 2011- 2024, GAO-12-249T, Nov 30, 2011 Earned Import Allowance Program for Haiti, GAO-12-204R, Nov 30, 2011 Medicare Advantage: Enrollment Increased from 2010 to 2011 while Premiums Decreased and Benefit Packages Were Stable, GAO-12-93, Oct 31, 2011 Mental Health and Substance Use: Employers’ Insurance… Continue Reading
FTC Issues FY 2011 National Do Not Call Registry Data Book
News release: “The Federal Trade Commission today issued the National Do Not Call Registry Data Book for Fiscal Year 2011. The FTC’s National Do Not Call Registry provides consumers with an easy way to stop unwanted telemarketing calls…According to the Data Book, at the end of FY 2011 (September 30, 2011), the Do Not Call… Continue Reading
Report – The Consumer Benefits of Expanding Shared Use of the Public Airwaves
News release: “Our analysis of The Consumer Benefits of Expanding Shared Use of the Public Airwaves, which we are releasing today demonstrates that spectrum made available for shared use without a license (unlicensed spectrum), has played a central and critical role in growth of wireless broadband data service. In fact, the shared use model has… Continue Reading
Coordinated central bank action to address pressures in global money markets
News release: “The Bank of Canada, the Bank of England, the Bank of Japan, the European Central Bank, the Federal Reserve, and the Swiss National Bank are today announcing coordinated actions to enhance their capacity to provide liquidity support to the global financial system. The purpose of these actions is to ease strains in financial… Continue Reading
Expedia's 2011 Vacation Deprivation Study
“Expedias Vacation Deprivation study is an annual analysis of vacation habits across multiple countries and continents. The 2011 study spans North America, Europe, Asia, South America and Australia. It reveals who gets and takes the most vacation time, as well as attitudes toward vacation. Common themes impacting how and where respondents vacation include… Continue Reading
National Association of Realtors' Housing Market Outlook
News release: “Pending home sales rose strongly in October and remain above year-ago levels, according to the National Association of Realtors®. The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, surged 10.4 percent to 93.3 in October from 84.5 in September and is 9.2 percent above October 2010 when it stood at… Continue Reading
BLS: Productivity and Costs, Third Quarter 2011, Revised
News release: “Nonfarm business sector labor productivity increased at a 2.3 percent annual rate during the third quarter of 2011, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today, with output and hours worked rising 3.2 percent and 0.8 percent, respectively. (All quarterly percent changes in this release are seasonally adjusted annual rates.) From the third… Continue Reading
NYT: Rates of Increase in Subsidized Lunches
Graphic: “Since 2007, the proportion of fourth graders eligible for free or reduced-price lunches through the federal governments school meals program has increased nationwide to 52 percent, from 46 percent…In 2011, 23 states had more than half their fourth graders eligible for subsidized lunches.” Related article: Line Grows Long for Free Meals at U.S. Schools… Continue Reading
Protecting and promoting the UK in a digital world
The UK Cyber Security Strategy – Protecting and promoting the UK in a digital world, November 2011 “Our vision is for the UK in 2015 to derive huge economic and social value from a vibrant, resilient and secure cyberspace, where our actions, guided by our core values of liberty, fairness, transparency and the rule of… Continue Reading
Google Announces Next Stage in Redesign
Official Google Blog: “Six months ago we started rolling out a new look and feel for Search, News, Maps, Translate, Gmail and a bunch of other products. Our goal was to create a beautifully simple and intuitive user experience across Google. Were now ready for the next stage of our redesigna new Google bar that… Continue Reading
