Wayne Ayers
Wayne Ayers
decline four last third
This is the third decline in the last four months. Again, it's worrisome, but not surprising.
businesses economic fourth growth levels losing otherwise risk
Inventories are at rock-bottom levels -- even if economic growth slows in the fourth quarter, those inventories will have to be rebuilt, otherwise businesses risk losing business.
accounts auto certainly consumers entirely fourth giving growth helpful hung incentives ongoing outside remember strength
Certainly those auto incentives were helpful in giving us that growth in the fourth quarter. But we have to remember that even outside of autos, the consumers have really hung in there. I don't think it's entirely a fluke. I don't think it accounts for the ongoing strength of the consumer.
business creating expect growth half labor market past permanent pickup second sustained until
The second half will show some better growth. Will that be sustained past the second half? For that, two things have to happen: we have to see a pickup in business spending, and the labor market has to stabilize and improve, creating permanent employment. We don't expect to see that until year-end.
bay businesses growth helps hire inflation slower
Productivity growth helps keep inflation at bay and allows real incomes to grow, but it makes businesses even slower to hire than usual.
corporate costs decline economy either labor prices profits rise wage
Productivity always slows as the economy slows. If labor and wage costs are still on the rise and productivity slows, either corporate profits decline or prices increase.
I think if you take those two things together, there is some hope.
anecdotal book confirm economic evidence reports seems
The anecdotal evidence of the beige book seems to confirm what all these economic reports have been saying.
agree forecasts
We'll probably have a moderate-paced recovery. I couldn't agree more with the Greenspan's forecasts that it would be a sub-par recovery.
call environment expect financial happen markets point stable view
From the Fed's point of view we've had head-fakes before -- I think they want to see a more stable environment for financial markets before they call it a day. I don't expect that's going to happen overnight. We will see a sustainable slowdown, but it may not happen right away.
across alan anyone areas best economy fearful greenspan guess happen insurance point policy running seen taking weakness
I don't think anyone has seen this happen so quickly. I don't think Alan Greenspan has seen it happen so quickly. So he's taking out an insurance policy for himself. My best guess is that they (The Fed) are running scared. At this point we've seen such pronounced weakness across all areas of the economy that I think they're fearful this downturn is going to be very different than any in the past.
almost biggest declines employment strange sure thinking
I find it strange that we had one of the biggest declines in employment in almost two years and no one noticed, and I'm sure they're thinking the same way over there at the Fed.
absent business cycle external hiring income increase increasing inventory length means support temporary week work
To me, the business cycle is working as it always does, absent an external shock. Inventory liquidation means firms have to increase production, and they're already doing that. They're also increasing the length of the work week and hiring temporary workers. All these things support income and spending.
bottom corporate directly good means news plus recovery spending
The good news is that this is going to go directly to the corporate bottom line. That's a real plus for profits, which means a real plus for corporate spending and the recovery going forward.