Continue reading McDonald's Global Same-Store Sales Increase

McDonald's Global Same-Store Sales Increase originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 08 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This morning, my colleague Connie Madon reported that initial jobless claims showed a disappointing gain of just 39,000 jobs and an unemployment rate at a seven-month high of 9.8%. Remember that the Street expected job growth of 144,000. This disappointing data has helped push the Dow Jones as we head through the lunch hour. I wanted to take a look at a couple tidbits of news from the report, one that I find especially disturbing.

Continue reading Unemployment Data Is Disturbing, Underemployment Numbers Are Staggering

Unemployment Data Is Disturbing, Underemployment Numbers Are Staggering originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I was reading a rather interesting article in The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) about the potential for a holiday toy war between Target (TGT) and Walmart (WMT). The price war centers on toys because "parents will buy stuff for their kids even when the economy is awful."

The article adds that shoppers have attempted to buy the "biggest toy bargains" while "ignor[ing] stores' other offerings." However, the article is quick to point out improving economic conditions suggest that retailers have a reason to believe the shoppers will look around the store a bit more and be quicker to part with some cash. Is this a safe assumption? Yes, I think that it is. However, I have a couple of reservations.

Continue reading Is Holiday Shopping Changing? Walmart and Target Think So

Is Holiday Shopping Changing? Walmart and Target Think So originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I guess you could say that shareholders of Harley-Davidson (HOG) aren't in hog heaven. The motorcycle magnate announced solid third-quarter earnings results, but it disappointed the Street with its motorcycle sales.

Let's start with the good news. Harley-Davidson reported third-quarter net income of 38 cents per share ($88.8 million) or 40 cents per continuing share, far better than last year's same-quarter earnings of 11 cents per share. What's more, these results topped the consensus estimate of 35 cents per share. The company was even able to overcome poor quarterly sales because of it financial services division and cost-cutting efforts.

Continue reading Harley-Davidson Sales Forecast Disappoints the Street

Harley-Davidson Sales Forecast Disappoints the Street originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the global financial system may be the biggest hindrance to a worldwide economic recovery. The IMF used its global financial stability report to make this announcement, one that suggests there isn't a lot of stability thanks mainly to the global financial system.

The IMF estimated that the writedowns attributed to the credit crisis were $2.2 trillion, lower than the $2.3 trillion originally projected in April.

Continue reading IMF: Global Financial System Hinders Economic Recovery

IMF: Global Financial System Hinders Economic Recovery originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This morning, the Commerce Department announced that the economy grew at a slower pace than previously thought in the April-to-June period. The gross domestic product grew at a 1.6% rate during the period, revised down from an initial estimate of 2.4%, and far slower than the 3.7% pace in the first quarter. Yet Wall Street actually sighed in relief because investors and economists had expected an even worse number.

Despite the euphoria on the Street over the not-as-bad-as-expected numbers, we are still faced with a stark reality as the economy has lost "significant momentum" lately. In fact, most believe that the third quarter will hold similarly weak growth.

Continue reading GDP for Second Quarter Revised Lower, Down to 1.6%

GDP for Second Quarter Revised Lower, Down to 1.6% originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Jobless Claims Increase by 37,000

Jobless Claims Increase by 37,000 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Retail Sales Slip During June

Retail Sales Slip During June originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Labor Department announced Thursday morning that U.S. consumer prices dropped 0.2% in May. May was the second-straight month in which prices dropped, as prices fell 0.1% during April as well. The price drop was precipitated by a 2.9% drop in energy prices, a result of lower gasoline prices.

Although energy prices dropped, the core CPI, which excludes food and energy prices, increased 0.1%. This slight increase was only the second monthly increase this year, and it matched the consensus estimate.

Continue reading Consumer Prices Fall for a Second-Straight Month

Consumer Prices Fall for a Second-Straight Month originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Labor Department issued a bit of a nasty surprise this morning in its report on initial jobless claims. Last week, the department issued 25,000 new claims for unemployment benefits, far more than the expected drop of 6,000 claims. The resulting 471,000 total claims in the past week was the most in a month.

In addition, the four-week average of initial claims, which many see as a better gauge of employment because it smooths out the volatile weekly numbers -- increased. According to the Labor Department, there were no unusual factors contributing to the release.

Continue reading U.S. Jobless Claims Increase to a Month-Long High

U.S. Jobless Claims Increase to a Month-Long High originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 20 May 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Consumer Prices Slip During April

Consumer Prices Slip During April originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 19 May 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Weekly Jobless Claims Fall

Weekly Jobless Claims Fall originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 13 May 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I don't know if any one out there can say he or she saw yesterday's plunge coming. Was the plummet based solely on a fat-fingered typing mistake? Was it based solely on concerns over the health of the Greek economy? Was it caused by rumors that Germany may pull out of the eurozone? I don't know if we will be able to specify one problem, but one thing is sure in the wake of yesterday's drop -- fear is as prominent as ever on the Street.

On down days in the markets, one generally expects to see a rally in commodities, as they are often deemed a safe haven for investors. This wasn't the case yesterday as crude oil saw its three-day sell off extend itself to a 3.6% loss, bringing the closing price of black gold to $77.11 per barrel (crude is on pace to set its worst week since 2009).

Continue reading Commodities Weren't a Safe Haven on May 6, 2010

Commodities Weren't a Safe Haven on May 6, 2010 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 07 May 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• JPMorgan Chase (JPM): earnings of 74 cents per share; expectations for 60 cents per share
• Citigroup (C): a loss of six cents per share; expectations for a loss of 33 cents per share
• Goldman Sachs (GS): earnings of $8.20 per share; expectations for earnings of $5.20

Continue reading What Do Earnings from the Big Banks Signal for the Economy?

What Do Earnings from the Big Banks Signal for the Economy? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Big Ben Bernanke is letting his opinions be known early in 2010, and he is pointing the finger of blame for the economic crisis right at weak regulation. Bernanke is waiting for confirmation of his second term as Fed chair and he is looking for greater regulatory authority from Congress.

Bernanke told the American Economic Association that "Stronger regulation and supervision aimed at problems with underwriting practices and lenders' risk management would have been a more effective and surgical approach to constraining the housing bubble than a general increase in interest rates." This statement was part of Bernanke's response to accusations that the Fed was a major contributor to the financial crisis. The Fed head believes that the interest rates set by the Federal Reserve from 2002 to 2006 were appropriate.

Continue reading Ben Bernanke: Weak Regulation Caused Economic Crisis

Ben Bernanke: Weak Regulation Caused Economic Crisis originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Best wishes to all and, next to world peace among people, we should hope for the same among world markets.

I have let some time pass before commenting on a recent example of how fragile a world we live in. This past year through a time of greater economic danger, fear and volatility than most of us has experienced in a life time, many people cannot fathom how close we came to the edge of Hades.

Continue reading Serious Money: Dubai Vaporizes $48 Trillion

Serious Money: Dubai Vaporizes $48 Trillion originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Is Citi preparing to repay TARP?

Is Citi preparing to repay TARP? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

On Tuesday, McDonald's (MCD) announced that November same-store sales increased 0.7%. Great news, right? Well, the fast-food pioneer's sales dropped 0.6% in America, but increased 2.5% in Europe. MCD blames the drop in the United States on the sluggish economy, although the house of Ronald managed to outperform a majority of its American competitors.

Here is my question, hasn't the economic situation gotten better in America? Why would McDonald's sales suddenly slump just as it seems the economy is in recovery mode? Are we as Americans now more accustomed to eating at home thanks to tightening purse strings? Now that the economy is recovering, do we have a taste for better fast-food options? Are we finally tired of McDonald's?

Continue reading Is there a chink in McDonald's armor?

Is there a chink in McDonald's armor? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Unemployment falls during November -- stocks to rally

Unemployment falls during November -- stocks to rally originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Dollar Tree posts strong third-quarter earnings

Dollar Tree posts strong third-quarter earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.