More evidence that the housing market has stabilized, consistent with the recent policy stance of the Federal Reserve.
Author Archives: James_Hamilton
San Diego Economic Roundtable
I participated this morning in the 23rd Annual San Diego County Economic Roundtable discussion of prospects for the national and local economy. Slides from my remarks are available here and video from the event will be rebroadcast locally a number of times (schedule here).
My bottom line? I think 2007 will be disappointing, but not a disaster.
UPDATE: the event has also been covered by the San Diego Union Tribune.
Derek Neal for president
I can’t pass up this opportunity to brag about another one of my former students– Matthew Kahn says that Derek Neal would make a good president.
Matthew’s right.
What would Milton do?
What with next Monday apparently having been declared Milton Friedman Day, I thought I might try to contribute to the festivities with some thoughts on how recent U.S. monetary policy might be evaluated from a Friedmanesque perspective.
Commodity speculation
Two stories this week give me some concern.
Bernanke and the Social Security Trust Fund
I would like to join Felix Salmon [1],
[2]
in suggesting that Dean Baker has mischaracterized both Fed Chair Ben Bernanke’s remarks to the Congress as well as the substantive policy questions on the table.
Bernanke on the deficit
In testimony before the Senate Budget Committee yesterday, Fed Chair Ben Bernanke once again tells it like it is.
What’s bringing oil prices down?
Darn hard to talk about this without bringing in the speculators.
Housing market review
Our local newspaper, the San Diego Union Tribune, has a big article this morning on the housing market. Among other things, this features some thoughts from yours truly and a foray into multimedia publishing.
The distribution of world income
One of the most profound questions in economics is why are some countries rich and others poor?