Standard & Poor’s S&P500 Earnings Estimates For 2013 & 2014 – As Of October 17, 2013

As many are aware, Standard & Poor’s publishes earnings estimates for the S&P500.  (My posts concerning their estimates can be found under the S&P500 Earnings tag) For reference purposes, the most current estimates are reflected below, and are as of October 17, 2013: Year 2013 estimates add to the following: -From a “bottom up” perspective, operating earnings of $107.52/share …

Read more

Average Hourly Earnings Trends

I have written many blog posts concerning the worrisome trends in income and earnings. Along these lines, one of the measures showing disconcerting trends is that of hourly earnings. While the concept of hourly earnings can be defined and measured in a variety of ways, below are a few charts that I believe broadly illustrate problematic …

Read more

U-3 And U-6 Unemployment Rate Long-Term Reference Charts As Of October 22, 2013

Shortly after each monthly employment report I have been posting a continual series titled “3 Critical Unemployment Charts.” Of course, there are many other employment charts that can be displayed as well. For reference purposes, below are the U-3 and U-6 Unemployment Rate charts from a long-term historical perspective.  Both charts are from the St. …

Read more

3 Critical Unemployment Charts – October 2013

As I have commented previously, as in the October 6, 2009 post (“A Note About Unemployment Statistics”), in my opinion the official methodologies used to measure the various job loss and unemployment statistics do not provide an accurate depiction; they serve to understate the severity of unemployment. However, even if one chooses to look at the …

Read more

VIX Monthly And Weekly Charts Since Year 2000

For reference purposes, below are two charts of the VIX from year 2000 through Friday’s (October 18, 2013) close. Here is the VIX Monthly chart, depicted on a LOG scale, with price labels as well as the 13- and 34-month moving averages, seen in the cyan and red lines, respectively: (click on chart to enlarge …

Read more

St. Louis Financial Stress Index – October 17, 2013 Update

On March 28, 2011 I wrote a post (“The STLFSI“) about the  St. Louis Fed’s Financial Stress Index (STLFSI) which is supposed to measure stress in the financial system.  For reference purposes, the most recent chart is seen below.  This chart was last updated on October 17, incorporating data from December 31,1993 to October 11, …

Read more

Chicago Fed National Financial Conditions Index (NFCI)

Each week I have been posting two charts of the St. Louis Fed’s Financial Stress Index (STLFSI), which is supposed to measure stress in the financial system. Of course, there are a variety of other measures and indices that are supposed to measure financial stress and other related issues, both from the Federal Reserve as well as …

Read more

Disturbing Charts (Update 12)

I find the following charts to be disturbing.   These charts would be disturbing at any point in the economic cycle; that they (on average) depict such a tenuous situation now – 52 months after the official (as per the September 20, 2010 NBER BCDC announcement) June 2009 end of the recession – is especially notable. …

Read more

The October 2013 Wall Street Journal Economic Forecast Survey

The October Wall Street Journal Economic Forecast Survey was published on October 13, 2013.  The headline is “Shutdown Likely to Prolong Fed’s Stimulus.” I found numerous items to be notable – although I don’t necessarily agree with them – both within the article and in the Q&A found in the spreadsheet. Here is one excerpt …

Read more