Feature Channels: Economics

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It's not Wall Street vs. Main Street. We're all in the current fiscal crisis together. Now is the time to decide whether we sink or swim . . .

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The U.S. House of Representative's rejection of the Troubled Assets Relief Program, the proposed $700 billion Wall Street bailout, was a prudent decision, say two University of Arkansas researchers who are closely monitoring the U.S. financial crisis.

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Homeowners who are struggling with mortgages for their own residences are a relatively small part of the overall mortgage crisis, according to results of a new nationwide study of consumer balance sheets. The study estimates that losses on first mortgages for owner-occupied homes may range as high as $180 billion -- a large amount, but not catastrophic, according to an economist.

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It started with families losing their homes to foreclosure, and has led to the failures of Wall Street titans. Where will the fallout from the subprime mortgage meltdown be felt next? And what should be done to correct it? Some of the top legal and financial talent from companies and agencies at the heart of the matter will discuss the issues.

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In the wake of America's financial upheaval, one psychologist says it's time to take control of emotions and better regulate the mind-body stress response. University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Associate Professor Josh Klapow, Ph.D., offers four 'action points' to dealing with stress and anxiety brought on by the crisis.

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While the U.S. may face a depression if the current crisis is not managed properly, a finance professor and expert believes the country could enjoy a major turnaround in the near future if things are handled properly today.

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Robert Bliss, a former senior financial economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago who teaches finance at Wake Forest University, is available to discuss the federal government's $700 billion rescue plan to acquire troubled mortgage-backed securities from lenders.

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Michael Goldberg, associate professor of economics at the University of New Hampshire Whittemore School of Business and Economics, is available to speak with journalists about the economic repercussions if the current bailout effort fails.

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The Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley can provide leading experts in the field of real estate, banking, finance, and the economy to address the news unfolding around the financial market turmoil and troubled US housing market.

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An economist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute says that a model he developed forecasted the current economic slowdown at least one year before it became apparent to most observers. The model, which was first published in the Journal of Finance in June 1991, has successfully predicted every recession since 1955.

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"It is troubling that weighty bailout decisions are being made on an ad hoc basis behind closed doors," says Cheryl Block, leading federal budget expert and professor of law. "These decisions potentially involve not only substantial amounts of taxpayer money, but they also involve employment decisions regarding management of major business enterprises."

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During tough financial times, many people try to demonstrate their value at work by working harder and longer. But, if you don't also make time to take care of yourself, success may come at a hefty cost: your health. Dr. George Griffing, Saint Louis University professor of internal medicine, offers the seven worst habits of workaholics.

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Texas Tech expert Available to discuss pros/cons of Paulson Plan, etc.

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Explaining the loss of a home or job to young children can be difficult for parents. However, even during tough economic times, families can take steps to develop resilience, the coping mechanism needed to recover from life's challenges, say University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) education professors Lynn Kirkland, Ed.D., and Janice Patterson, Ph.D.

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University of Arkansas economists find that a network approach to the study of financial "contagion" "“ the transmission and impact of financial crises "“ may be applied to understand the current turmoil in the U.S. banking sector and the need for a system-wide response by the Fed.

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Banking expert Tim Yeager, associate professor of finance at the University of Arkansas and former economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, is available to answer questions about the ongoing crisis at major U.S. financial institutions.

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Paul Harvey, assistant professor of management at the University of New Hampshire, is available to discuss the intricacies of laying off employees. According to Harvey, although there really is no good way to tell someone they are being laid off, employers should tailor the bad news in a way that minimizes the likelihood of an extremely bad reaction.

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The recent collapse of three major financial institutions"”Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, and Merrill Lynch"”has left Wall Street reeling, and no one knows when the bloodletting will come to an end. While investors are duly concerned about the future financial landscape, opportunities for growth still exist.

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For the first time in America's recent history, future generations may be worse off economically than their parents, warns economist Ross Gittell at the University of New Hampshire.

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"The situation we face in financial markets today was largely the creation of a Federal Reserve under Alan Greenspan's long tenure," says University of Maryland business and economic historian David Sicilia. "It's a shame he wasn't as forthright then as he is now as a prominent private citizen." Sicilia calls the current credit crisis "the worst in postwar history."

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UC Berkeley real estate economist and panel of experts to discuss solutions to the subprime mortgage crisis.

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Radhakrishnan Gopalan, Ph.D., assistant professor of finance at Washington University in St. Louis, comments on the mortgage giants' federal bailout and the impact on taxpayers, shareholders, the mortgage market and the confidence of the American people.

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A finance expert in the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University predicts an active prime market after the take-over of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae by the government.

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Realty experts are saying that more than $200 billion in adjustable rate mortgages are scheduled to reset during the second half of 2008. Many Americans could soon be facing the harsh reality of foreclosure. Edythe Harvey, MD, a psychiatrist at The Menninger Clinic in Houston, offers tip on how to deal with the emotional side of foreclosure.

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New data indicate that 22 percent of rural children are living in poverty. The new report, based on U.S. Census Bureau data released today, finds that on average, rates of child poverty are persistently higher in rural parts of the country relative to suburban areas and share similar rates with many central cities.

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Research by a Kansas State University professor shows that household surveys predict the inflation rate fairly accurately and as well as professional economists. The pros employ statistics like the unemployment rate, money supply growth and exchange rate changes. Consumers are more likely to think about how much they spent at the grocery store that week.

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As the economic downturn forces more companies to lay off workers, a workplace aggression expert at the University of New Hampshire cautions employers about what to do and not do when breaking bad news to employees.

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The rates of children living in low-income families are similar in both rural areas and central cities, a new report from the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire finds. Nearly one-half of all children living in rural areas and in central cities lived in a low-income family.

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The current economy is putting a strain on everybody's pocketbook and food is no exception. You don't need to watch the evening news to know that food prices are rising faster than the average; just walk down the supermarket aisle. John Stanton, Ph.D., chair of food marketing at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, offers ten things you can do to reduce the cost of your food bill while still eating well and not taking too much time.

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A University of Iowa international development expert is proposing a new method of holding the World Bank accountable when its development projects damage communities in developing countries.

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Soaring energy prices will yield sharp increases for corn and soybean production next year, cutting into farmers' profits and stretching already high food costs, according to a new University of Illinois study.

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A down housing market calls on real estate agents to change their tactics, according to Dr. Chris Pullig, Director of the Keller Center for Residential Real Estate Sales & Marketing at Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business. His recent study of lead conversion rates revealed that varying market conditions call for different approaches to lead generation.

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A new report from the Carsey Institute, based on a comprehensive survey of 8,000 Americans from 19 rural counties, identifies four distinct, often disparate, rural Americas. The data-rich report presents a complex picture of the economics, demographics, politics, and values of people in rural America.

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Consumer-driven health plans (CDHP) -- hailed since their inception in 2000 as a tool to help control costs -- are resulting in members forgoing care and discontinuing drugs to treat chronic medical problems, according to two newly published studies.

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Contrary to some previous claims, a paper by economists at Indiana and Duke universities finds no correlation between nations' resource endowments and the quality of their institutions.

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Are you having a hard time stretching your grocery dollars during the current economic downturn? You're not alone. But before you stop buying fresh fruit, meat, vegetables and other items often perceived as costing a lot, check out these tips from a University of Michigan Health System dietitian. Holly Scherer, R.D., says you don't have to switch to a diet of potato chips, mac and cheese, and fast-food.

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Veterinary medicine contributes $3.3 billion to the economies of New England"”and the region faces a shortage of as many as 658 veterinarians by 2014, according to a study released today by the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.

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New England will experience a slow recovery starting in mid-2008 and a relatively flat economy through 2012 as a result of the national credit and housing crises, according to Ross Gittell, James R. Carter Professor of Management at the University of New Hampshire.

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A new study by a University of Iowa business researcher casts doubt on long-held beliefs about the social benefits of home ownership as a way of strengthening families and improving the lives of children, and finds that a federal policy of encouraging home ownership helped lead to the current real estate crisis.

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As the Memorial Day weekend approaches, individuals and families across the U.S. are planning their holiday trips and summer vacations. Central Michigan University economist Philip Thompson is available to comment on how skyrocketing gas prices will affect holiday travel and vacation plans throughout the country this summer.

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Rising gas prices are affecting more than the family budget. More pain at the pump results in more employee stress on the job, says Wayne Hochwarter, the Jim Moran Professor of Management at Florida State University's College of Business.

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Recent economic events have shaken the confidence of many Americans with respect to their ability to achieve the "American dream." "With rising numbers of home foreclosures, job cuts, and loss of savings, more Americans are encountering severe periods of economic risk and insecurity in their lives," says Mark R. Rank, Ph.D., poverty expert and professor of social work at Washington University in St. Louis.

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The Conference Board's Measure of CEO Confidence, which had posted a sharp decline in the final quarter of 2007, fell again in the first quarter of 2008 and is now at 38 (a reading of more than 50 points reflects more positive than negative responses). The last time the Measure posted a weaker reading was in the final quarter of 2000 when it was at 31.

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Even though the benefits of free trade outweigh the harm, the subject has not garnered a lot of attention during this year's election cycle. A professor of business discusses why it is important for Congress to liberalize trade, and the dangers of embracing stricter policies.

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With the economy fast becoming the number one issue in voters' minds this election season and the Bear Stearns takeover sending shockwaves through Wall Street, the word recession is making its way from the business pages to everyday conversations. Cristian Pardo, Ph.D, assistant professor of economics at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, says that many of the corrective measures in the past don't seem to be working.

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Angel investors are taking a more cautious approach to investing in light of the recent volatility in the economy, according to the 2007 Angel Market Analysis released by the Center for Venture Research at the University of New Hampshire.

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While consumer spending once helped keep the economy healthy, rising consumer debt is the reason it's getting sick. The root cause of the current economic slowdown in the U.S. goes back several decades, according to an economics professor at Washington University in St. Louis.

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Expert Todd Ault discusses the future of illiquid and restricted stocks fare in light of Bear Stearns fire sale.

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Despite continuing turmoil in the housing and financial markets, a U.S. recession is not imminent, The Conference Board reports today.

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New research from the University of New Hampshire shows that the nation's poorest cities experienced a substantial drop in poverty rates during the economic boom from 1992 to 2003, but not enough to lift them out of their relative positions as the most impoverished communities in America.