How the World Works

Oil up, jobs down

If anyone still listened to vinyl any more, we'd call this a broken record.

  • For the sixth straight month, U.S. payrolls declined. The Labor Department reported that nonfarm employment in June dropped by 62,000. Significant losses in construction (43,000) and manufacturing (33,000) were only partially offset by an 8000 job gain in the mining sector, and a 15,000 job boost in the ever-popular health care sector.

  • Crude oil futures set another record, breaking $145 a barrel.

Maybe it's a good thing the New York Stock Exchange is closing three hours early today, as part of an extended July 4th weekend. The less time to mull these figures, the better.

Posted in: Economy

A big, fat "I told you so" from Joe Stiglitz
Eighteen years ago, he warned of the "perverse incentives" implied by mortgage securitization.
Marxist-Leninist Mao Zedong Ultraman to the rescue!
Who will dominate the ideological information technology battle of the future. The U.S.? China? Or is the game already over?
A second act for Eliot Spitzer
America: Land of the free, home of the forgiving. No matter what you do, there's an online column gig waiting in the wings
How national healthcare could have saved Detroit
The Big Three blame legacy retiree benefits for crippling their business. But it's their own darn fault.

About How the World Works

A conversation about globalization.

Recent Posts

Marxist-Leninist Mao Zedong Ultraman to the rescue!
Who will dominate the ideological information technology battle of the future. The U.S.? China? Or is the game already over?
A second act for Eliot Spitzer
America: Land of the free, home of the forgiving. No matter what you do, there's an online column gig waiting in the wings
How national healthcare could have saved Detroit
The Big Three blame legacy retiree benefits for crippling their business. But it's their own darn fault.

Full Archive

RSS Feed

Posts by date

December 2008
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031

Comments?

You can e-mail me directly at aleonard@salon.com. But to join the conversation with your comments, please use our letters to the editor feature at the bottom of each article.