Consumer sentiment dips going into holidays (Reuters)
Reuters - U.S. consumer sentiment slipped in December but was not far from the year's highs, a report said on Friday, suggesting Americans were guardedly optimistic about the economy in the holiday season.
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Retirement accounts have lost $2 trillion (AP)
2008.10.08By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS, Associated Press Writer 2 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Americans' retirement plans have lost as much as $2 trillion in the past 15 months, Congress' top budget analyst estimated Tuesday.
The upheaval that has engulfed the financial industry and sent the stock market plummeting is devastating workers' savings, forcing people to hold off on major purchases and consider delaying their retirement, said Peter Orszag, the head of the Congressional Budget Office.
As Congress investigates the causes and effects of the financial meltdown, the House Education and Labor Committee was hearing from retirement savings and budget analysts on how the housing, credit and other financial troubles have battered pensions and other retirement funds, which are among the most common forms of savings in the United States.
"Unlike Wall Street executives, America's families don't have a golden parachute to fall back on," said Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., the panel chairman. "It's clear that their retirement security may be one of the greatest casualties of this financial crisis."
More than half the people surveyed in an Associated Press-GfK poll taken Sept. 27-30 said they worry they will have to work longer because the value of their retirement savings has declined.
Orszag indicated the fear is well-founded. Public and private pension funds and employees' private retirement savings accounts — like 401(k)'s — have lost some 20 percent overall since mid-2007, he estimated. Private retirement plans may have suffered slightly more because those holdings are more heavily skewed toward stocks, Orszag added.
"Some people will delay their retirement. In particular, those on the verge of retirement may decide they can no longer afford to retire and will continue working," Orszag said.
A new AARP study found that because of the economic downturn, one in five workers 45 and older has stopped putting money into a 401(k), IRA or other retirement savings account during the past year, and nearly one in four has increased the number of hours he works.
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November housing starts up (Reuters)
Reuters - The pace of U.S. home building rose in November as new home starts climbed 6.7 percent, rebounding from a sharp decline in October while building permits fell 3 percent, a government report showed on Tuesday.
Reuters - The pace of U.S. home building rose in November as new home starts climbed 6.7 percent, rebounding from a sharp decline in October while building permits fell 3 percent, a government report showed on Tuesday.
US GDP revised down to show 2.0 percent growth pace (AFP)
AFP - US economic growth has been a bit more sluggish than earlier estimated in the third quarter, growing at a 2.0 percent annualized pace, according to revised data.
AFP - US economic growth has been a bit more sluggish than earlier estimated in the third quarter, growing at a 2.0 percent annualized pace, according to revised data.
Consumers boost buying during holidays (AP)
AP - Keeping the nation's cash registers ringing, consumers boosted their spending in November by the largest amount in four months, raising hopes shoppers will act more like Santas than Scrooges during the holidays.
AP - Keeping the nation's cash registers ringing, consumers boosted their spending in November by the largest amount in four months, raising hopes shoppers will act more like Santas than Scrooges during the holidays.
Consumer confidence ebbs, boosts rate hopes (Reuters)
Reuters - U.S. consumer confidence ebbed in December, while a key measure of inflation held steady in November for first time in four years, boosting the chances of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts in 2007.
Reuters - U.S. consumer confidence ebbed in December, while a key measure of inflation held steady in November for first time in four years, boosting the chances of Federal Reserve interest rate cuts in 2007.
