Wrestling with the bullwhip effect

The 2007-2009 recession brought about shifting consumer demand that left wholesalers and manufacturers grappling with how best to change inventory and production strategies.

Scattered signs of life in Western housing markets

Western analysts scanning the economic horizon for signs of a housing rebound in the region, finding little evidence of recovery in 2009, are now setting their sights on 2010. Since last year was so bad, the consensus is that 2010 can only be better.

Podcast: New Year expected to bring fresh round of foreclosures

Real estate experts are watching for signs that the Phoenix market is returning to normal. Activity slowed a bit in November — a hopeful sign because it is consistent with seasonal norms. But the market is still feverish.

Clearing the wreckage of the 'Great Recession' will take years

The 'Great Recession' may be over, but like a hurricane that has battered a coastal city, the wreckage left behind will take years to fix.

National forecast 2010: Wall Street will do well, Main Street will struggle

Anthony Chan is a cautious optimist. He is optimistic that the equity markets will continue to improve in 2010. But he's cautious, too — because the same level of improvement won't be felt on Main Street.

Recession aftermath: A tentative scenario

The near-term outlook for the national economy continues to improve, but full recovery will be slow in coming, says Lee McPheters, editor of Economy@W. P. Carey. After decreasing this year, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to grow next year, but hundreds of thousands mo

Western states unemployment: The rest of the story

Most are aware that the official unemployment rate tells only part of the story. Lee McPheters, in the lead story of the Western Blue Chip Economic Forecast, writes that the U.S.

Bottom five: Weakest large labor markets in July

The Phoenix area was the nation's weakest large labor market in July, according to figures recently released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Nobel laureate Myerson tells China to spend more of its dollars

Roger Myerson, a Nobel Laureate in Economics from the University of Chicago, told an audience of Chinese business executives and government officials recently that their country might do better if it liquidated some of its American investments.

U.S. economy: Can 77,255 Americans be wrong?

A recent internet poll posted on the Money magazine web site asked "When will the U.S. economy improve?" The answer from 80 percent of those responding was that the economy will improve no sooner than next year, or even later.