Education, government finances tightly linked
Grab the nearest kindergartner and tell her this: Stay in school and study hard because Mississippi’s long-term economic outlook depends on you. If you slack off and drop out before getting a decent level of education, your state government — that is, your fellow citizens — might have to pay higher interest rates to retire long-term public debt 20 years from now.
U.S. economic growth likely slowed in third quarter
WASHINGTON — U.S. economic growth is likely languishing in the second half of 2013, held back by federal policies and a slowdown in hiring that
Fewer Americans seek unemployment
WASHINGTON — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell 10,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 340,000, a sign that employers are laying
Personal income grows slowly in second quarter
JACKSON — Personal income growth in Mississippi trailed the nation in the second quarter, dragged down by a drop in farm income and slow growth
Home prices rise 12.4 pct., most in 7½ years
WASHINGTON — U.S. home prices rose 12.4 percent in July compared with a year ago, the most since February 2006. An increase in sales on
Economist: Mississippi and U.S. see modest growth
JACKSON — Mississippi’s economy is outpacing the national economy, although both are growing at a relatively slow rate, an expert told lawmakers Thursday. State economist
Stock market sets record after Fed keeps stimulus
NEW YORK — The stock market hit a record high Wednesday as investors cheered the Federal Reserve’s surprise decision to keep its economic stimulus program
In budget faceoff, Obama warns of ‘economic chaos’
WASHINGTON — A potential federal shutdown looming, President Barack Obama on Monday warned congressional Republicans they could trigger national “economic chaos” if they demand a
Employers aren’t cutting, or adding, many staffers
Companies have all but stopped laying off workers. They just aren’t hiring many.
When the government issues the July employment report Friday, it will likely show another solid month of job growth. But the job gain can be misleading because it’s a net figure: The number of people hired minus the number who lose or quit jobs.
Economy may need continued support from Fed
WASHINGTON — A key government report and a statement from the Federal Reserve made clear Wednesday that the U.S. economy still needs help. The economy
Budget office report says Senate immigration bill would boost economy
Supporters of a far-reaching immigration bill in the Senate see fresh momentum from a report by the Congressional Budget Office that says the measure would boost the economy and reduce federal deficits by billions of dollars.
Miss. economy grew 2.4 percent in 2012
JACKSON — With manufacturing on the rebound, Mississippi’s economy grew by 2.4 percent in 2012, new figures show. Gross domestic product numbers released Thursday by
Political landscape changes with improving economy
Alleged misbehavior by the Internal Revenue Service and other federal agencies gives the GOP something else to talk about and investigate as the economy clearly, if slowly, recovers on President Barack Obama’s watch, robbing Republicans of a central argument against Democrats.
Between economy and trouble, Obama approval steady
The economy is recovering, the White House is dealing with multiple controversies, and President Barack Obama appears generally unaffected either way.
Federal Reserve to stick to same formula
The Federal Reserve is widely expected Wednesday to stick with its aggressive efforts to strengthen a still-subpar economy.
Poll: Public pessimism on economy grows
For the third year in a row, the nation’s economic recovery has hit a springtime soft spot.
Census: Record 1 in 3 U.S. counties are now dying
A record number of U.S. counties — more than 1 in 3 — are now dying off, hit by an aging population and weakened local economies that are spurring young adults to seek jobs and build families elsewhere.
Younger vets still struggle as jobs scene improves
Two months after completing his five-plus years as an Army medic, Dan Huber is still looking for a job. And while he’s had some promising interviews, he has no assurances the search will end soon.
Boehner: Up to Democrats to prevent budget cuts
House Speaker John Boehner said Wednesday it’s unlikely the Republican-controlled House and Democratic-led Senate will prevent a wave of automatic spending cuts from beginning to strike the economy in two weeks. Yet he sounded hopeful about avoiding a partial shutdown of the government when a temporary spending bill expires next month.
Economic jitters compete with Obama agenda
Just as President Barack Obama is pushing new initiatives on gun control and immigration, the gloomy old problem of a sluggish economy is elbowing its way back into prominence. Consumer confidence is falling, the economy is contracting and large automatic spending cuts are threatening to hit the Pentagon and other programs, with uncertain consequences.