Articles

HICKS: The problems with polling and predictions

Just days before a presidential election, there’s no doubt we will be bombarded with poll results and election models designed to predict winners and losers. It is useful to explain how these work without technical jargon.

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HICKS: Global slowdown makes its way to Wyoming

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke recently spoke of a slowing world economy at the annual fete of world economists in Jackson Hole, Wyo. His speech was the typical measured prose of someone whose choice of adverbs has the capacity to send markets diving. However, to an experienced listener, two interesting tidbits emerged.

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U.S. economic recovery weakest since World War II

The recession that ended three years ago this summer has been followed by the feeblest economic recovery since the Great Depression. Growth has never been weaker in a postwar recovery. Consumer spending has never been so slack. Only once has job growth been slower.

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HICKS: Short-term fixes unlikely to ease downturn

Almost all the economic forecasts that appear monthly or quarterly have been revised downward, some for the third time. And the smallest tidbit of good news dominates the news cycles without moving financial markets

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