William Sluis

HOUSING STARTS Eternal optimists When Americans are asked about the current recession, they typically adopt a tone of optimism. Most express confidence that the slowdown will end before the middle...

With short-term interest rates near a 40-year low, it is inevitable to ask when Federal Reserve policies will stir up that old bugbear, inflation. A target rate of 1.75 percent...

JOBS REPORT Worst may be over A look back at rapidly fading 2001 will recall the downfall not only of dot-com companies and their cybergeek progenitors, but also the demise...

CONSUMERS Unshakable spirit Americans' uncanny ability to shrug off bad news is nowhere more evident than in the monthly surveys of consumer confidence. Largely unshaken by the terrorist attacks of...

HOUSING 1st shiver If the economy's roof caves in, as pessimists expect, the last rafter to tumble will be construction. Building and buying of homes, usually the first beam to...

RETAIL SALES Gyrating lower With the recession now nearly nine months long, some analysts believe it already is becoming old news. They envision consumers rushing into stores, quickly lifting the...

EMPLOYMENT Lingering lag As Americans shop for the holidays, their spirits are being held back by the economy's one dark spot: the job market. The once-euphoric bazaar that determines the...

HOUSING Staying put Since Sept. 11, the economy has been beset by the crumbling of the twin pillars of business investment and consumer confidence. But two other pillars--auto sales and...

CARS CARRY MONTH Mall withdrawal Credit counselors provide this standard line of advice: Lock those plastic cards in a drawer, then saunter over to the nearest bridge and toss the...

FEDERAL RESERVE Policy dilemma After 10 months of interest rate reductions by the Federal Reserve, the economy appears no better off than when central bankers began their loose money regime....