Tag Archives: consumer

Cliffs, Nightmares, and Hidden Consumer Taxes

Written by Steven Hansen While watching Chairman Bernanke weave and bob in front of Congress this past week, I started to ponder what he said: The U.S. economy has continued to recover, but economic activity appears to have decelerated somewhat … Continue reading

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Are Price Increases Killing Consumption?

Written by Steven Hansen Based on comments on my last post, that there are misconceptions about consumer spending patterns and the effects of price increases.  Consider several potential effects caused by price increases: A consumer can do without.  No vacation, … Continue reading

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Joe Sixpack May Be Returning to Consumption Trough

Written by John Lounsbury and Steven Hansen The New York Times this week posted Consumers Unlikely to Rekindle the Recovery.  To “prove” their point they presented three nasty but unfortunately correct graphics.

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Is Consumer Credit Fueling Retail Sales Growth?

Written by Steven Hansen Last week I posed the question whether the consumer was returning. It seems to be a common perception that consumer credit is driving the retail economic expansion. Below is a set of graphs that may surprise. … Continue reading

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Is the Consumer Returning?

Written by Steven Hansen March Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) released this past week suggest that the consumer is returning to the consumption trough. Many pundits are convinced a consumer driven recovery is beginning to grab hold. Per Christopher S. Rupkey, … Continue reading

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China: Small Company Crack in the High Growth Armor

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are by far the most efficient part of the Chinese economy and the only part creating real value. My experience in other developing countries suggest that SME owners tend to be the most sensitive to and aware of changes in risk, and if we start to see rising bankruptcies among SMEs, coupled with disinvestment and increasing capital outflows, that is almost always a very worrying sign. When SME owners start to worry, so should we. Continue reading

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Record Breaking December 2010 Retail Sales

US Census says advance numbers for retail sales are up 0.6% in December 2010. Econintersect’s analysis shows sales up over 8% YoY and at all time highs. Continue reading

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Will the US Consumer Come Back in 2011?

The U.S. consumer is still far overleveraged compared to history. This must improve for a strong consumer comeback. Continue reading

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Consumer Credit Flat in July 2010

If consumer credit’s decline has stopped, it is one economic headwind which has abated. Continue reading

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