Consumer Foreclosures, Bankruptcies, Delinquencies, and Collections: Checking on the Hangover of our Drunken Sailors by Wolf Richter • Aug 12, 2023 • 153 Comments Not much of a hangover yet. Going to see more of these frying-pan charts
Our Drunken Sailors Still Not in Trouble with their Credit Cards by Wolf Richter • Aug 8, 2023 • 77 Comments Keeping an eye on them because some day enough of them will get in trouble to move the needle. But not yet.
Businesses, Governments Join the Drunken Sailors. Consumers Still in Party-Mode: Tough to See a Slowdown in this Scenario by Wolf Richter • Jul 27, 2023 • 125 Comments What’s easier to see in this scenario is more persistent inflation.
Americans Still in No Mood for Recession: New Vehicle Sales Jump 17.5% in Q2 YoY as Inventories Normalize after Shortages by Wolf Richter • Jul 6, 2023 • 88 Comments Incentives jump but still below normal. Average Transaction Price and Average Listing Price stuck at ridiculous levels.
Our Drunken Sailors Are in No Mood to Give Up Spending, and They Can Afford it by Wolf Richter • Jun 30, 2023 • 289 Comments Personal income solidly outpaces inflation.
Waiting for the Promised Recession: Economic Growth even Stronger than Feared, Treasury Yields Spike by Wolf Richter • Jun 29, 2023 • 218 Comments The Fed has jacked up interest rates to over 5% to slow down this circus, and instead we’re getting accelerated growth.
5% Interest Income from CDs, T-Bills, Money Markets Fueled Spending. Higher Borrowing Costs Cut Spending. And on Net? by Wolf Richter • Jun 10, 2023 • 228 Comments Interest income is a big number that got a lot bigger, and people are spending some of it.
Why Jobs in Retail Are at 2007 Levels: It’s Structural. Jobs in Ecommerce & Services Boomed but Aren’t in “Retail Trade.” And Half of Retail Trade is Moribund by Wolf Richter • Jun 5, 2023 • 84 Comments Walmart U.S. gave us some color: ecommerce sales +27%; grocery sales +12%; non-grocery brick-and-mortar sales -10%.
Americans’ Ability to Pay for Emergency Expenses or Three-Month Job Loss with Cash/Cash Equivalent, by Selling Assets, by Borrowing, or Not at All by Wolf Richter • May 27, 2023 • 188 Comments 54% have three months of expenses set aside in their account. But 13% can’t pay for a $400 emergency expense.
Despite Getting Whacked by Bank Turmoil, Layoff News, Credit Crunch, High Interest Rates, and Inflation, our Drunken Sailors Spent Even More, Even Adjusted for Inflation by Wolf Richter • May 26, 2023 • 241 Comments Where does the money come from? They now out-earn inflation and dipped into their assets whose prices ballooned over the years.