retail sales up 2%

[Mike.357]

I just heard this on the news. They said soemthing to the effect reatil sales are up this much.

I have noticed gas is up. Is gas considered a retail sale?

[Guest jackdm3]

Retail sales increase 1.6% in March - MarketWatch

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I can't find it but there was a report saying that retail sales were up, and in the same

story incomes were down by about the same percentage. If it even means anything.

I also remember a story that said the only thing propping up the economy right now was the unspent stimulus and maybe TARP money. Whatever is going on won't be going on next week, or next year. There are too many wonks still saying commercial

and residential mortgages are going to be a real big problem. I think they are all just guessing or praying.

I think gas at the pump is considered retail, Mike.

[Guest jackdm3]

They expect the gas prices to go up about .45 this summer.

[Mike.357]

I think gas at the pump is considered retail, Mike.

thats what I thought. The price increase in gas could account for near 2% all by itself. So to me that shows the numbers are meaningless.

Stats are made up and twisted into what any of them want it to say. The pyramid is going to topple.

[Guest Tygarys]

Its probably from people buying big stuff before the Obamanation and friends force through a VAT.

[mikegideon]

I can't find it but there was a report saying that retail sales were up, and in the same

story incomes were down by about the same percentage. If it even means anything.

I also remember a story that said the only thing propping up the economy right now was the unspent stimulus and maybe TARP money. Whatever is going on won't be going on next week, or next year. There are too many wonks still saying commercial

and residential mortgages are going to be a real big problem. I think they are all just guessing or praying.

I think gas at the pump is considered retail, Mike.

My girlfriend is a mortgage loan closer for Regions bank, and they're slammed right now. They're doing all the states, so something is moving somewhere.

[Raoul]

My girlfriend is a mortgage loan closer for Regions bank, and they're slammed right now. They're doing all the states, so something is moving somewhere.

Bad weather in the first quarter and the expiring tax credit are certainly making the RE market busy.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I've heard the mortgage market is booming, Mike, but it's all those risky loans that are supposed to purge, and something about commercial loans are becoming a problem. But

I'm glad the new loans are brisk. Is it the usual spring/ summer growth spurt, or does she

think things are getting healthier? A little good news wouldn't hurt.

[mikegideon]

I've heard the mortgage market is booming, Mike, but it's all those risky loans that are supposed to purge, and something about commercial loans are becoming a problem. But

I'm glad the new loans are brisk. Is it the usual spring/ summer growth spurt, or does she

think things are getting healthier? A little good news wouldn't hurt.

She hasn't been there long enough to know. She just moved from St. Louis a couple of months ago. She was selling houses there, and that was picking up as she was leaving.

Radio advertising is growing again nationwide for the first time in years. It's projected to grow for at least the next two years. Nashville is pacing behind, mostly because it wasn't as soft as some other markets last year. Advertising growth is a real good sign.

The scumbags on Wall Street really dug us into a hole. Some numbers I've heard... there was only 10% real money backing a lot of their paper. I know the government is working on magic money right now, but they don't hold a candle to the thieves on Wall Street. IMHO, we're lucky to be seeing any recovery this early.

[StPatrick]

Fun stat of the day: home foreclosures for 1Q 2010 are up 35% year over year vs. 1Q 2009. There's still a lot of bad paper to work through, especially since the 5 year ARMs taken out at the tail end of the bubble (approx. 2007) won't come up for readjustment until 2012.

Recovery will come, but it will be slow - there's a lot of pain early in the healing process, and this one is not going to be any fun. Keep your jobs, if you've got one, and make sure at least one of your co-workers is less valuable than you.

One can only hope that the American people learn more about "spending less than you make" than our legislature. Judging by the sharp increase in the average savings rate (BEA : Personal Saving Rate) since the downturn, it appears the people are smarter than their representatives.

Edited April 16, 2010 by StPatrick
clarity

[Guest jackdm3]

I hate it when someone reminds us that a drop on consumerism will kill the economy and I wanted to throw up when Bush said to start spending with the stimulus money. It was too obvious, even for the simpletons and blatantly insulting, but people saving like never before is bad, as much sense as it all makes. Gotta find a healthy middle.

[Oh Shoot]

Fun stat of the day: home foreclosures for 1Q 2010 are up 35% year over year vs. 1Q 2009. There's still a lot of bad paper to work through, especially since the 5 year ARMs taken out at the tail end of the bubble (approx. 2007) won't come up for readjustment until 2012....

Some say a commercial real estate bubble will soon pop, might be much worse than the residential one initially was.

I think that guns, ammo, and survival/camping gear has been the economy's only saving grace for last couple years period.

- OS

[Guest jackdm3]

I'm hoping so. I'm shorting CRE, but they've been saying there's a bubble for two years.

[Volzfan]

The dems will produce reports that say things are getting better so that they can take the credit and try to hold on to their congressional seats.

Remember W's last two years? The dems had control of both the House and Senate but didn't do a thing to help the country because they didn't want W or the Republicans to get any credit. They sat there and watched while the US went further down the crapper.

Had the shoe been on the other foot the Republicans would have done the same thing so they are no better. They both suck and neither can be trusted.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Some say a commercial real estate bubble will soon pop, might be much worse than the residential one initially was.

I think that guns, ammo, and survival/camping gear has been the economy's only saving grace for last couple years period.

- OS

I mentioned that in another thread. Our economy is based in a big fat lie

called 'Keynesian economics', if that's spelled right. Our problems keep on being set back, not fixed. Someone will have to fix this all some day. Whose kids will it be?

[Mike.357]

kind of off topic but what happens if the country has to default on the chinese

[Raoul]

kind of off topic but what happens if the country has to default on the chinese

McDonald's will offer stir fry.

[Oh Shoot]

kind of off topic but what happens if the country has to default on the chinese

Would mean we've also stiffed everybody else, and thus would begin the big die off of a Great(er) Depression.

Probably will happen anyway, though.

Those advocating American isolationism would have it, in spades.

- OS

[mikegideon]

The dems will produce reports that say things are getting better so that they can take the credit and try to hold on to their congressional seats.

Remember W's last two years? The dems had control of both the House and Senate but didn't do a thing to help the country because they didn't want W or the Republicans to get any credit. They sat there and watched while the US went further down the crapper.

Had the shoe been on the other foot the Republicans would have done the same thing so they are no better. They both suck and neither can be trusted.

The shoe kinda is on the other foot, and the Republicans ARE doing the same thing. Who suffers for that? US

[TMMT]

This slight rise in retail sales, like unemployment needs to be put into perspective to be understood.

Think of it in terms of just how far total retail sales have fallen since the recession began.

Now add back 1.6% to that number.

While any good news is good, in the grand scheme of it all its just a drop in the bucket. But the problem is, the bucket still has some serious holes that need patching.

Like the unemployment picture, people are happy that the rate of layoffs are slowing. What many people don't get but several economist believe...is that they are slowing because, well there just isn't anyone left to lay off. Companies have cut payroll to the bone and there is few if any non-critical workers left to lay off. Any more of an increase in unemployment and you will begin to truly cut into the heart of the workforce. Not just Construction Workers, unskilled labor and such...

But I guess as far as the 1.6% bump in retail sales.

Any port in a storm...

[Volzfan]

The shoe kinda is on the other foot, and the Republicans ARE doing the same thing. Who suffers for that? US

The shoes isn't on the other foot yet. The dems still control both the House and Senate in DC and your point is the same as mine. Neither party is interested in doing what is best for the country but instead it's about how much power they can grab. Yes we all suffer!

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Well, then start your own third party and extend the

pain a decade more until it takes hold. You have to

organize a party structure to do that and it takes time.

Rome wasn't built in a day. Build the party structure

or try and fix one, either one first. Butting heads with

a strongly entrenched structure without a foundation

to build off of will result in disappointment and more

tyranny until you do it right.