18 Jun 2004

Posted at 16:42h in The Friday Brief by
This week produced a huge number of economic reports, in part because some were delayed from last week’s day of national mourning.  For the most part, the reports showed substantial gains in both the momentum and the breadth of this economic expansion.  Not only is it real, it appears to have significant staying power.  Here are some of the highlights:

11 Jun 2004

Posted at 14:53h in The Friday Brief by
Hundreds of articles have appeared this week about the life and presidency of this charismatic and adored man, Ronald Reagan.  The one below reveals a unique and intimate view of the man’s character and his thoughtfulness.  It is reprinted with permission from its author Andrew Ferguson of Bloomberg News, in its entirety.

04 Jun 2004

Posted at 16:23h in The Friday Brief by
Before getting to the economics and financial happenings of the week I wanted to share a story with you. In the wake of Memorial Day and the dedication of the WWII Memorial it is timely in that it honors some of the unsung heroes of World War II. About a month ago my mother received a letter from a serviceman she met in Fayetteville, NC some 62 years earlier. He and his wife were traveling back to their Chicago home after spending the winter in Florida. He wanted to stop by to catch up and especially to say thanks for her contributions during a difficult time in his life and in the lives of so many servicemen.

28 May 2004

Posted at 16:26h in The Friday Brief by
Yesterday, the Commerce Department revised upward its estimate of how fast the economy grew in the first quarter of this year by two tenths of a percent.  The report also showed that corporate profits jumped 31.6% in the quarter ended March, the biggest increase since the first quarter of 1984.