Free Republic

U.S. economic growth rebounded during the third quarter after six months of steady declines, according to data released Thursday by the Commerce Department. U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) grew at annualized rate of 2.6 between July and September, up from declines of 1.6 percent in the second quarter and 0.6 percent in third quarter of 2022, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Thursday. That means that if the third quarter’s pace of growth lasted 12 months, the U.S. economy would have grown 2.6 percent by the end of that time. Economists expected U.S. GDP to rise at an annualized rate...

LOS ANGELES (August 9, 2005) — The IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index gained 2.3 points, or 4.7%, reaching 50.9 and pushing it back into positive territory in August, after spending three of the last four months in the economic doldrums. Over 50 means optimism; below 50 indicates pessimism.

WASHINGTON - Consumer prices fell by 0.1 percent in July as gasoline prices dropped while output at factories and housing construction posted healthy rebounds, offering hope the economy has escaped this summer's "soft patch." The Labor Department (news - web sites) said Tuesday that the decline in its closely watched Consumer Price Index (news - web sites) was the first decrease since a 0.2 percent drop last November. The CPI had been up 0.3 percent in June and an even sharper 0.6 percent in May, reflecting big jumps in energy costs. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve (news - web sites) reported...

<p>Merrill Lynch, which fell from favor in California for its central role in Orange County's historic 1994 bankruptcy, has repaired its image in the state and is now a leading competitor for the job of financing California's unprecedented debt.</p> <p>Today, Merrill Lynch ranks second among the banks selling long-term bonds in California. It assisted with last year's $11 billion in state borrowing and an earlier deal to help the struggling Los Angeles Unified School District.</p>