BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[In a High-Oil-Price Economy, Everything Will Get a Whole Lot Closer]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/01/15/in-a-high-oil-price-economy-everything-will-get-a-whole-lot-clo/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/01/15/in-a-high-oil-price-economy-everything-will-get-a-whole-lot-clo/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/01/15/in-a-high-oil-price-economy-everything-will-get-a-whole-lot-clo/#commentsFiled under: ,

It's been stated before, but it's worth repeating that two enduring trends of the high-oil-price era will be localization and increased density.

Essentially, in the decade ahead the U.S. economy (but not only the U.S.) will adjust by shrinking the distance between just about everything. Spatial geography will adjust to the reality of higher transportation costs per mile.

Continue reading In a High-Oil-Price Economy, Everything Will Get a Whole Lot Closer

In a High-Oil-Price Economy, Everything Will Get a Whole Lot Closer originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>automobilecommutinggasoline pricesoil pricestransiturban densityFri, 15 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Seven ways that companies cope with high gas prices]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/08/07/seven-ways-that-companies-cope-with-high-gas-prices/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/08/07/seven-ways-that-companies-cope-with-high-gas-prices/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/08/07/seven-ways-that-companies-cope-with-high-gas-prices/#commentsFiled under: ,

High gasoline prices are putting the squeeze on companies and their workers. People are leaving their jobs due to the high commuting costs. The New York Times reports that a resume service received "14 calls last week and 9 of those named high gas prices as their No. 1 reason for leaving their job."

And by my count, the Times presents seven ways that companies are changing to relieve the pressure:

  • Encourage more telecommuting. The Times describes how "Citigate Cunningham, a public relations company, now encourages workers to stay home whenever possible, providing laptop computers and BlackBerrys to enable telecommuting, and reimbursing them $40 a month for high-speed Internet connections in their homes."
  • Give employees money to pay for gas. Since June, OperationsInc., a human resource consulting firm, gave employees up to $100 a month on an American Express (NYSE: AXP) card "to offset rising gas prices."
  • Rent offices closer to workers' homes. Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) recently "leased three large office complexes far from its headquarters" to cut 7,000 employees' commutes.

Continue reading Seven ways that companies cope with high gas prices

Seven ways that companies cope with high gas prices originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 07 Aug 2008 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>axpcommutingcommutingbybikeenergy pricesEnergyPricesgasolinegasoline pricesGasolinePricesgreenhouse gasGreenhouseGasinthenewsmsftThu, 07 Aug 2008 10:40:00 EST<![CDATA[High gas prices mean Americans likely to prefer homes closer to work]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/30/high-gas-prices-mean-americans-likely-to-prefer-homes-closer-to/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/30/high-gas-prices-mean-americans-likely-to-prefer-homes-closer-to/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/30/high-gas-prices-mean-americans-likely-to-prefer-homes-closer-to/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

If one scrolls back into American history, one can detect a clear pattern of cycles or eras: periods of considerable economic expansion, followed by periods of less economic expansion. Periods of extensive public policy activity, followed by periods of less public policy activity. Periods of extensive suburban sprawl, followed by periods of less development.

As more and more Americans entertain the possibility that $4 per gallon gasoline, may, in the long-term, represent a price floor rather than a ceiling, one can detect the rumbles of a shift in housing preferences, so says economist Glen Langan.

"The 3-bedroom house with a back yard is still a goal. That's part of the American dream. The house with a yard 30 or 40 miles from work, is not," Langan said.

Case in point: the Denver metropolitan area. Suburban and exurban home prices in formerly preferred suburbs, are dropping more than in areas closer to the city center, The New York Times reported.

Denver will hardly be the only city affected, Langan said. "Many cities that experienced a 'long-commute' boom or an exurbia boom during the low gas price area are vulnerable," Langan said. "It's the 30-mile commute re-think." Another example of a city likely to be hit hard is Atlanta.

Continue reading High gas prices mean Americans likely to prefer homes closer to work

High gas prices mean Americans likely to prefer homes closer to work originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AtlantacitiescommutingDenverexurbsfeaturedgasoline priceshousingmass transitoil shocksuburbsU.S. economyMon, 30 Jun 2008 12:03:00 EST<![CDATA[High energy cost era suggests major changes ahead for the United States]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/03/high-energy-cost-era-suggests-major-changes-ahead-for-the-united/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/03/high-energy-cost-era-suggests-major-changes-ahead-for-the-united/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/06/03/high-energy-cost-era-suggests-major-changes-ahead-for-the-united/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

That the arrival of $4 per gallon gasoline has already propelled changes in consumer and corporate behavior would not be a revelation to most investors / readers.

Still, a prudent tack for investors -- or heads of households/husbands/wives, for that matter -- is to look beyond the short-term conditions and try to gauge longer-term trends -- trends that may uncover investment opportunities.
Short-term, oil is likely to correct, many economists agree. Oil at one-hundred-twenty-five bucks per barrel is well above what many economists and analysts believe is a price capable of sustaining adequate U.S. and global economic growth. Speculators have pushed oil higher than what it should sell for based on fundamentals, and a pull-back is likely in the quarters ahead. That will take some pressure off gasoline, diesel and heating oil prices.

But what about long-term? Short-term, gasoline prices should moderate, but is $4 gasoline a high point? Probably not, if current global oil consumption trends continue. What's more likely? Additional, steady rises in gasoline, diesel and heating oil prices in the years ahead, particularly if the U.S. economy shows signs of a recovery later in 2008.

Continue reading High energy cost era suggests major changes ahead for the United States

High energy cost era suggests major changes ahead for the United States originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 18:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autoscommutingcorporationsemployersenergy crisisgasoline pricesGDPhousingleisuremass transitoil pricesoil shockquality of lifestandard of livingstaycationU.S. economyworkTue, 03 Jun 2008 18:54:00 EST