Replies

Everything is not rosy, especially unemployment, but the numbers are looking up in almost every other regard, in fact, it is projected that the increase in GDP will be around 6.5%. Company profits are up, durable goods are up, stock market up, tax rebates are in the mail, consumer confidence up, home sales up, consumer and business spending up, etc... Businesses, which cut spending on equipment and software in the first three months of this year, boosted such investment in the second quarter at a sizable 7.5 percent rate. That marked the biggest increase in three years. And, after six straight quarters of slashing spending on new plants, office buildings and other structures, businesses boosted this spending by 4.8 percent in the second quarter. The US service sector surprised experts with a fourth consecutive month of growth in July that helped fan hopes of a recovery, according to Institute for Supply Management. Demand for U.S. manufactured goods rose at the sharpest rate in three months in June as a solid rise in orders for long-lasting items joined with a small gain in demand for other goods, the government said Monday. Indeed, the survey shows that the percentage of CEOs saying they're worse off now than they were 6 months ago has dropped from 51% to 26%. Americans applied for mortgages to buy homes in near-record numbers the first week in August. Applications for mortgages to buy homes rose 6.9 percent in the week ended Aug. 1 to their second highest level on record.

Everything is not rosy, especially unemployment, but the numbers are looking up in almost every other regard, in fact, it is projected that the increase in GDP will be around 6.5%.

Let us hope that is a good projection. However, the key for GWB and the mid and longer term health of the economy is the employment and employment most especially in good paying jobs.

Company profits are up, durable goods are up, stock market up, tax rebates are in the mail, consumer confidence up, home sales up, consumer and business spending up, etc... Businesses, which cut spending on equipment and software in the first three months of this year, boosted such investment in the second quarter at a sizable 7.5 percent rate.

A significant question is how much of this investment is in the uSA and directly affecting the American economy.

That marked the biggest increase in three years. And, after six straight quarters of slashing spending on new plants, office buildings and other structures, businesses boosted this spending by 4.8 percent in the second quarter. The US service sector surprised experts with a fourth consecutive month of growth in July that helped fan hopes of a recovery, according to Institute for Supply Management. Demand for U.S. manufactured goods rose at the sharpest rate in three months in June as a solid rise in orders for long-lasting items joined with a small gain in demand for other goods, the government said Monday. Indeed, the survey shows that the percentage of CEOs saying they're worse off now than they were 6 months ago has dropped from 51% to 26%. Americans applied for mortgages to buy homes in near-record numbers the first week in August. Applications for mortgages to buy homes rose 6.9 percent in the week ended Aug. 1 to their second highest level on record.

Results had best be forthcoming soon or GWB will not be happy a year from November. When Herbert Hoover ran on the campaign slogan of "Prosperity is just arround the corner the result was 20 years of Democrat occupation of the White House.

Good day BushCountry!

Yes, the economy appears to be improving (ever so slowly) given some of the recent data, although some data is still mixed at best. That said, I have seen zero, nada, zilch projections of increases in "GDP will be around 6.5%".....even Fed chairman Greenspan is looking for Q3 and Q4 of up to 4.5% (which I think is very optimistic).

Nonetheless, most of the projections I have seen are in the 3-3.5% GDP growth in Q3 and Q4, FWIW.

Enjoy!