Author: Dee Shore

Dec 8, 2010

Good job gains

A recent national job report was upbeat: Over 150,000 jobs were added, with all of them being privately created positions. N.C. Cooperative Extension economist Mike Walden describes which job sectors were especially hot. 

Dec 7, 2010

What’s holding down inflation?

People seem to be confused about inflation. The government tells us the overall rate is very low -- between 1 and 2 percent -- yet we are seeing significant increases in food and energy prices. How can higher food and energy prices be compatible with moderate inflation? N.C. State University extension economist Mike Walden explains. 

Dec 6, 2010

What’s the real unemployment rate?

We had some good news on the national job market in October with a 151,000 jobs being added and the unemployment rate holding steady at 9.6 percent. But N.C. Cooperative Extension economist Mike Walden says that the rate doesn't tell us the whole unemployment picture. 

Dec 3, 2010

Debt ideas

President Obama set up a commission to look at ways to reduce the size of the national debt, and the two commission co-chairs released ideas for accomplishing this goal. N.C. State University extension economist Mike Walden reviews the highlights. 

Dec 2, 2010

Job crash

We now have enough information available to reach some conclusions about how bad the recession has been, says N.C. State University economist Mike Walden. And compared to other recent recessions, the latest has been brutal in terms of job losses. 

Dec 1, 2010

New blood

There was new blood in the latest World Series: The Texas Rangers had never been in the series, and the San Francisco Giants hadn’t been there in almost a decade. And, says N.C. State University economist (and baseball fan) Mike Walden, there's also new blood in business. 

Nov 30, 2010

Wilson wins teaching award

Dr. Elizabeth B. Wilson, associate professor of agricultural and extension education in N.C. State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, received a 2010 Regional Teaching Award at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities 123rd Annual Meeting in Dallas. 

Nov 30, 2010

Negative interest rates

Normally we think of interest rates being a positive number. That is, if we borrow some money, we have to pay some interest rate on the loan -- meaning we’ll pay back more than we borrowed. Or if we invest, we expect to earn money -- that is, interest on my funds. But a new investment recently offered a negative interest rate. N.C. Cooperative Extension economist Mike Walden explains. 

Nov 29, 2010

Shifts in shopping

This recession has been especially hard on consumers by reducing their income and wealth. How has this double blow affected how consumers spend? N.C. State University economist Mike Walden responds. 

Nov 26, 2010

Fixing foreclosures

Home foreclosures are numbering in the millions today, with more likely coming. Why don’t the banks who own the mortgage on the home simply reduce or forgive a certain amount of the loan? Would reducing the payments to a level the homeowner could afford be a simple way out for everybody involved? N.C. State University extension economist Mike Walden weighs in.