GDP Looked Good, No “Landing” (Soft or Otherwise), But Wasn’t as Good as it Looked due to Reversal of Q1 “Freak Event.” Consumers Still Refused to Throw in the Towel by Wolf Richter • Oct 27, 2022 • 100 Comments And after five months of declines, government consumption and investment rose again.
Flush with Pandemic Cash & Tax Revenues, States, Cities Throw Money Around. Congress too. Is it a Surprise Consumers Outspent this Raging Inflation? by Wolf Richter • Sep 30, 2022 • 131 Comments The Fed, which is trying to slow demand to tamp down on consumer price inflation, gnashes its teeth.
Deep-Subprime & Subprime Auto Loans Miraculously Cleaned up by Credit-Score Inflation by Wolf Richter • Aug 29, 2022 • 119 Comments Credit-score inflation throws a monkey wrench into the calculus of credit risk.
Consumer Income & Spending Still Out-Hobble Inflation, Despite Everything by Wolf Richter • Aug 26, 2022 • 52 Comments Spending on gasoline plunges due to plunge in price. “Real” spending on durable goods, amazingly, jumps for 2nd month. Services spending rises but stuck below pre-pandemic trend.
Recession Watch: This Labor Market is Not There Yet, Nor Are Consumers by Wolf Richter • Aug 25, 2022 • 183 Comments Over the decades, recessions were preceded by spikes in unemployment claims. We keep our eyes on them as the recession watch has begun.
Are Federal Student Loans Even “Loans?” From Forbearance to Forgiveness to Taxpayer Expense. Fairer: Allow Bankruptcy by Wolf Richter • Aug 7, 2022 • 271 Comments The educational-industrial complex is laughing all the way to the bank.
Trip Back to Reality Starts: Mortgages, HELOCs, Delinquencies, and Foreclosures in Q2 by Wolf Richter • Aug 4, 2022 • 103 Comments Forbearance and pandemic cash run out. But a lot of fun was had by all.
People Trying to Dodge Legal Usury: Credit Card Balances, Delinquencies, Third-Party Collections, and Bankruptcies in Q2 by Wolf Richter • Aug 3, 2022 • 105 Comments Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) Lenders Face Tougher Reality.
Nope, Auto-Loan Delinquencies and Repos Are Not “Exploding”: They Rose from Record Lows and Are Still Historically Low by Wolf Richter • Aug 2, 2022 • 68 Comments The balance of loans & leases outstanding rose on much higher vehicle prices but much lower sales volume.
American Consumers Are Tough: Inflation Eats Their Income, But No Problem, They Still Outspend Inflation by Wolf Richter • Jul 29, 2022 • 272 Comments Though spending is slowly shifting back to services, consumers still binged on durable goods.
