North Carolina’s budget analysts have scaled back the state’s General Fund revenue projections for the next three years, citing signs of economic slowdown and increasing pressure on the economy from tariffs in federal trade policy.
I’s clear we are witnessing not just a shift in policy, but a potential turning point for the American economy.
There is ample evidence to point to the incoming Trump administration being confronted with a stagnating economy — or worse.
It would be prudent for policymakers in the General Assembly to begin formulating policy solutions to address a forthcoming recession.
There’s been some good economic news as we end 2023. Gas prices are down almost 60 cents per gallon since September. Thanksgiving meals were more affordable due to a 20% drop in turkey prices compared to 2022. The all-item inflation rate continues to moderate, and the Federal Reserve (the “Fed”) has not raised their key interest...
How healthy is our economy? If you’ve just returned from the grocery store or gas station, you may be inclined to rate it poorly. Although prices aren’t rising as fast as before, that phenomenon is properly called disinflation. It isn’t the same thing as deflation. The cost of living remains much higher than it was...
First, the good news: North Carolina’s unemployment rate is reported as being among the lowest in decades. The NC Department of Commerce reported in August that the state’s unemployment rate for July came in at 3.3%, tying two months in 2022 for the lowest rate since 1999. Now, the not-so-good news. For starters, a low...
When I was growing up in the 1950s, I was a fan of the Superman TV show. The program opened with the announcer looking up at the sky and saying, “It’s a bird; it’s a plane; it’s Superman!” I’ve used a modified version in today’s column to add some humor to the serious question of what...
President Biden has of late unveiled the term “Bidenomics” in an attempt to brand his administration’s economic agenda a success story. “Good jobs and lower costs: That’s Bidenomics in action,” he declared. Unfortunately for him, the American public isn’t buying it. Recent polling shows only 34% of Americans approve of his handling of the economy....
Clint Eastwood has long been one of my favorite actors. A movie that propelled him to stardom was “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” I think a title with a slight change, to “The Good, the Bad, and the Uncertain,” is a great description of today’s economy. The good There are plenty of “good”...
Every time there is trouble looming for the economy, my schedule of presentations and interviews explode. It happened during my 40-plus years on the NCSU faculty, and it still happens in my retirement, as I continue to interact with groups and the media. I’m seeing the same reactions today with worries about inflation and recession. Certainly, I...
