Economic Review: Tax Cuts, Spending Bill, and Sector Performance
Explore the latest updates on tax cuts, spending bill provisions, sector performance, and upcoming economic indicators. Stay informed on financial trends and market insights.
Economic Review: Tax Cuts, Spending Bill, and Sector Performance
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Presentation Transcript
Tax Cuts in the bill • Include a $400 payroll tax cut for individuals making less than $75,000, and couples less than $150,000 (this is likely to be spread out evenly throughout the year, not in a lump sum) • A tax credit for first time home buyers ($8,000) • Tax deductions for some new investments
Spending in the bill • The spending provisions include new funds for alternative energy projects (including modernizing the grid) • New funds for road and bridge infrastructure ( a good article in the WSJ today about this) • Assistance to the states for education and Medicaid • Funds to extend unemployment benefits to December 2009.
Good news • The Commerce Department reported that retail sales rose 1% in January (on a seasonally adjusted basis). • Retail sales for November and December were adjusted to -2.4% and -3.0% respectively
Best and Worst Sectors • The Health Care and Technology sectors (-2.06% and -3.12% respectively for the week) were the best-performing • Financials sector (-9.14% for the week) was the worst-performing sector for the week.
Why is this happening? • The “bad bank” proposal by the Treasury Department has a serious weakness in setting the price for the “toxic” assets it will buy • Most economists believe that more US banks will fail in the coming months
Monetary Base • QInsight also notes that the adjusted real monetary base is up over 84% on a year over year basis in mid-December 2008.
Phase: Plunge • Sectors that traditionally do well in the late Plunge: • The Financial, Financial Services, Basic Materials, Consumer Discretionary and Consumer Staples
Upcoming Economic Indicators • 2/19 – PPI • 2/19 – Initial Jobless Claims • 2/19 – Continuing Jobless Claims • 2/20 – CPI