"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Jim wrote:
Isn't it funny how the libs all of a sudden grow silent when positive
economic news
like this is reported (during GWB's Presidency)?

What a coincidence!


"JohnH" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 16:34:59 -0700, "jps" wrote:

"JohnH" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 21:12:46 GMT, "Doug Kanter"

wrote:

Doug, the question referred to the fact that people are spending
more
money, not
where they are spending it.

How can you assert that when the news simply reflected Walmart and not
the
general state of discount retailers?

How are Walmart's competition doing? If they're doing well, then you
may
have a case. If not, money may simply be shifting from one retail
outfit to
another, potentially based on price.

See, there's more of the conservative vs. liberal thinking. Our lot
is
willing to be patient and make a judgement when all the data is in.
You
folks want to make a case on one month, one day, one report.

Sorry bud, that dog won't hunt.

Gosh, jps, I'd have expected you to do this:


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Economy shows further signs of recovering

By Patrice Hill
THE WASHINGTON TIMES



More signs that the economy is gathering strength emerged yesterday
as big
retailers like Wal-Mart reported their best sales in a year while
productivity
boomed and unemployment claims dropped for a third straight week.
The increase in same-store sales last month, at 4.3 percent, was
nearly
double the pace set in May and June in a survey of big department
stores by the
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ltd.
Wal-Mart, the biggest retailer, said better-than-expected sales
were partly
the result of tax rebate checks. With consumer momentum building, the
retailer
boosted its profit outlook for the rest of the year.
"It was a good month, and it may be a good omen for the second
half," said
Michael P. Niemira, vice president of the Tokyo bank. Although warm
weather and
heavy discounting by retailers accounted for some of the gains, "this
could be
the start of a much better trend," he said.
Some analysts said consumers seem to be spending more on clothing,
furniture
and other discretionary items because sharply higher interest rates
since June
have dampened interest in buying cars and houses.
While consumers were shifting into a higher gear, the number of
people
filing new claims for unemployment benefits dropped for a third
straight week to
390,000 last week, a sign that the stagnant job market may be
improving. The
four-week average of new jobless claims compiled by the Labor
Department dropped
below 400,000 for the first time since February.
Businesses so far during the economic recovery have met growing
demand with
the same or fewer workers because of strong productivity gains. That
continued
during the second quarter, with a stunning 5.7 percent jump in
productivity
reported by the Labor Department yesterday.
Analysts said the acceleration in consumer spending seen last month
may
force businesses to start adding workers soon.
The "amazing" productivity gains eked out by businesses and workers
in the
last few years have been "the silver lining in the jobless recovery,"
said Bill
Cheney, chief economist for John Hancock Financial Services. But "based
on
today's jobless claims report, this recovery may not be jobless that
much
longer." ....
(Continued)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
--

But you didn't.

Most respectfully,


John
On the 'Poco Loco' out of Deale, MD




The Washington Times?
The Moonie Paper?

Hehehe.

Trash is as trash reads/


Perhaps you prefer these NY Times headlines:

Forecasts for U.S. Recovery Improved

Wal-Mart, TIffany report Earnings Surge

Retail Sales Rise 1.4% in July

Wal-Marts Profits Rise More Than 20%