On net, we’ll see some damage and a hit to corporate profits and proprietors’ income, but that effect is temporary. But in the next quarter, we will get some mild stimulus from the rebuilding. Certainly,...

We are talking about an economy averaging about 30 miles per hour in a 60-mph speed zone. That keeps pressure on the unemployment rate, forcing it to continue to rise. By summer, we could have...

Warm weather and a post-December rebound in new activity will likely boost construction payrolls. Retail employment should also enjoy a post-holiday boost.

With corporate balance sheets and cash flow strong, we look for investment spending to remain strong, pushing up growth in the capital stock and adding to labor productivity growth in 2006.

The employment picture remains fairly grim, and that’s having a dampening effect on measures of consumer confidence. And we have higher energy prices, which is another drag on consumer confidence and a ‘tax’ on consumer...

Manufacturing activity in the region appears to have cooled off. We suspect it will be another month or two before auto manufacturers start ramping up production to replenish sales-depleted inventories.

There has been some spotty signs of a cooling in the broader housing market.

The claims data are telling us that the labor market is continuing to improve and growing at a rate of about 200,000 jobs a month.

The market didn’t like his lines about inflation. Overall, the speech was extremely well balanced . . . The market is just focusing on one or two lines out of the entire speech.

The fact that households are saving so little, even with strong growth in personal income, is a potentially troubling development.

The economy is weakening and we’re going to see more of the effects of that.

The stronger data virtually assure significant changes in the Fed’s directive this week. The new directive will probably include a grudging acknowledgement of the stronger labor market and inflation statistics.

We now believe that the first Fed rate hike will not come until December, and we continue to worry the Fed may be forced to ease again before it begins hiking rates.

The key is for us as communities to let everyone know about the benefit of the program.

It’ll be a solid number, but it won’t post the 8.2 percent growth we saw for the third quarter.

In the long run, crowding out tends to mitigate the effects of fiscal policy.

The odds are that things are going to be a little stronger than people anticipate in another month or so. With the exception of the labor market data, which will continue to stink.

What you’re seeing is a glut of gently used vehicles, and that’s putting pressure on all vehicle prices.

The increase in capacity utilization is another sign of an economy approaching full employment of resources. This keeps the Fed on high alert for inflation.

With little excess capacity left in the labor market, we expect continued upward pressure on wages.

Further improvement in earnings and additional declines in the unemployment rate is likely to boost overall confidence and keep consumption strong.

The increase in gasoline prices and the prospect of a long, expensive winter is depressing sentiment.