Us Economy

[josh_S70GLT]

I was just thinking about this today, since business at my workplace seems to be picking up this year, even though it is slow right now...which is why I've been able to think.

But what do you think?

[merlin390]

our business picked up this month 45,000 iin sales for me :D

[steve s]

here's a thought...is the dollar so weak because it makes other countries supporting the war easier to pay the bill?

[Jamaica2G]

I think that the economy is getting better, but I agree with Steve_S. My experience is that the HID kits keep on escalating in price b/c the US Dollar is sucking more and more each day. I just hope that when I start earning money in this country, my dollar will actually be worth something.

Adrian

[starfish]

With a weak US dollar, foreign products do become more expensive and our goods become more wanted by foreign consumers. More US consumers buying lower cost US made goods will continue helping our economy and job market. The overall US economy has been very strong despite rising energy and insurance costs as noted by the Fed raising the interest rate on 7 consectutive sessions in attempt to slow it down.

[Che'_Moderator]

I think that the economy is getting better, but I agree with Steve_S. My experience is that the HID kits keep on escalating in price b/c the US Dollar is sucking more and more each day. I just hope that when I start earning money in this country, my dollar will actually be worth something.

Adrian

←

Their going up because you cannot sell them anymore. Whats here is all thats left unless you want to import. Same reason ephedra shot to 120 a bottle post ban, or why an Ar15 8 months ago was 1200 and now its 600

[wattsat]

I cannot base my decision upon how the company I work for business is doing because we do alot of Government work and the wars are good for our business.

I read an article about a month ago indicating that the value of the US dollar has not only declined against other currencies, it has also started to lose favor amoung criminal organizations.

In the past the US dollar was the preferred currency for Black Markets, Orginized Crime and street merchants everywhere. Everybody knew the US dollar. Knew it was strong and that anyone in anycountry would accept it. Now alot of these people are switching to using the Euro. I don't know about you, but when the people who really know the value of a US dollar start switching to using the Euro, that worries me.

[theunderlord]

The domestic Oil and Gas transmission market is doing great this year!

I have almost 800K in work in progress goin on at my work right now !

Spring time is the best!

[Asinine]

I'd say the US economy while from a simple numeric standpoint might be - Ok / better than last year (i voted No), it's on a downward slide.

Between record trade defecits, budget defecits and the poor dollar as it stands right now the US economy is in a tough spot, and there really isn't a shining light at any tunnel.

A couple things to keep in mind:

1) the US consumer has never been so personally debt ridden in their life, if consumer debt or home equity they are at record highs, which isn't so bad considering the record low levels of interest - however, NOT GOOD in a rising interest rate environment.

2) On the topic of home equity, the home market is dare i say topping. The economic demographics don't support the kind of sub-urbanization that is going on right now. Who is left to buy the next 200 acres of entry level homes. Not only that but people recognizing the rising interest rate environment are paying more for homes since they save in the long term with respect to the savings generated from the low interest rate. Lastly, flipping houses and the thinking that your home will increase in value no matter what is as sound thinking as saying in 1999 that any 4 letter stock will make me a millionaire - real estate like commodities like stocks are all markets with cycles, and i think this one is going to top sooner (2 - 8 years). Which will DEVASTATE a generation (mine) of Americans.

3) Despite the low dollar the US hasn't been able to capture a reversal in the trade defecit because products produced in the US are still too expensive by comparison. If rising interest rates won't save the dollar (economic theory dictates it would) then when/if the US economy stumbles (as i think it will over the next decade or so) then the currency will continue to de-value, especially if Greenspan (or his successor) has to cut rates to stimulate growth.

While demographic factors aren't as huge in the US by comparison to Canada, they are significant, and there are a lot of baby boomers with cash in the market (stocks and bonds) that want to earn money with it. The simple economic conclusion is that interest is the cost of borrowing money, there is an abundant supply of money, when supply outpaces demand the cost of whatever goes down - hence (in part) we have a pretty flat yield curve - which is a "cunundrum" to Greenspan (why the 10 year yield is so low).

Not a rosy picture, but an opinion all the same!