News

Dec 28, 2010

Are oil prices headed up?

Oil prices and their derivative gas prices have not behaved according to their typical pattern this year. They didn’t rise this summer, as is usual, but now when driving generally falls off, prices are edging up. What’s going on? N.C. State University economist Mike Walden explains. 

Dec 27, 2010

Measuring price changes

Because there are millions of prices in our economy, it seems that determining how much prices change would be a daunting task. The government has an official measure that is based on a sample of prices. Is there any confirmation of the government’s price changes from methods that are more comprehensive? N.C. State University economist Mike Walden answers. 

Dec 24, 2010

Lost workers

The state’s unemployment rate fell from 9.7 percent to 9.6 percent recently. But there is cause for concern in the state’s most recent job report, says N.C. State University economist Mike Walden. 

Dec 23, 2010

The recession hit N.C. hard

You don’t have to tell North Carolina's unemployed workers how bad the recession has been, but now we have some evidence from the federal government to confirm this. N.C. Cooperative Extension economist explains what the numbers show. 

Dec 22, 2010

YOU DECIDE: Will the economy be better in 2011?

Will the economy be naughty or nice next year? Mike Walden looks ahead and ventures an opinion. 

Dec 22, 2010

What happened to Ireland

Ireland has been in the news recently but not in a good way: The government has been on the verge of bankruptcy, and the rest of Europe may have to bail them out. What happened to this country, which only a few years ago had a very dynamic economy? N.C. Cooperative Extension economist Mike Walden explains. 

Dec 21, 2010

Zublena named to lead N.C. Cooperative Extension Service

Dr. Joe Zublena has been named associate dean for Extension in N.C. State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service effective immediately. Zublena, director of county operations for Cooperative Extension, has served as interim director of the organization since the May 1 retirement of past director Dr. Jon Ort. 

Dec 21, 2010

Another debt plan

The national debt is a major issue. Recently the heads of the U.S. president's fiscal commission issued a debt reduction plan. And another group has released yet another plan. N.C. State University economist Mike Walden highlights the major recommendations in this other plan. 

Dec 20, 2010

Forecasting the economic future

Everyone wants to have a crystal ball regarding the economy, but few of us have one. Economists are often asked to peer into the economic future. N.C. State University economist Mike Walden explains the techniques that economists use to do that. 

Dec 17, 2010

Being like Japan

One of the apparent fears of the Federal Reserve is that the U.S. economy today will be like the Japanese economy of the 1990s. What are the parallels, and what are the problems of copying the Japanese economy of 20 years ago? Dr. Mike Walden, an Extension economist with N.C. State University, responds.