U.S. presidential elections are a marathon, not a sprint, and this race has been exceptionally grueling—both for the candidates and the public at large. But more concerned than the average U.S. citizen are small business owners, who have responded to the uncertainty by delaying new...
Stalled growth, disappearing jobs and a sense of foreboding are the defining characteristics of today’s economy. So, what or who is to blame? According to one theorist, the process of “creative destructions,” whereby the death of one business or industry gives rise to another, is...
After another harsh winter, the American economy is stabilizing and beginning to shrug off concerns of a prolonged slowdown or recession. According to the latest economic gauges, industrial production is increasing, inflation is firming, and the housing sector is continuing to pick up momentum. All of...
The U.S. economy's sluggish start to the year is validating the wait-and-see approach the Federal Reserve has taken with raising interest rates. Business investments, constrained by falling corporate profits and diminishing exports, and held back by the strong dollar, have both played their role in the...
An increasing number of economists and corporate leaders say the risk of the U.S. dipping into a recession is rising. More than anything, they have pointed to the global growth slowdown and convulsions in financial markets. According to the Wall Street Journal’s monthly survey of economists,...
The last seven years have been painful for consumers, homeowners, small business owners—indeed for all Americans. The financial crisis of 2007-2008 was the worst economic downturn in the United States since the Great Depression in the 1930s. It was caused by a number of factors,...
This week, the Federal Reserve indicated that interest rates will be raised next year. In a statement issued from the policy meeting, the Federal Reserve said monetary policy will be "normalized." Since 2008, rates have hovered near zero, with the Federal Reserve offering consistent assurances that...
As part of the 2010 Dodd-Frank regulatory scheme, banks are required to submit an annual “living will” detailing, among other things, the bank’s operations and exposures, in addition to a plan of how the bank could be dismantled without relying on tax payer funded support...
Banks have come under intense scrutiny in recent years following the financial crisis that began in 2007. The regulatory pressure doesn’t seem to be letting up anytime soon as regulators attempt to reign in banks designated as “systemically important.” According to regulators, systemically important banks are...
On May 7, 2014, Fed Chairwoman, Janet Yellen, testified before Congress and provided information on a host of issues relevant to all of our businesses. Ms. Yellen found that business is rebounding at a fast pace and making up for the loss of business in the...