Cowboy Economics News - July 2008 Archives

Ag economists analyze high commodity and food prices (7/31/2008)

Commodity prices - and resulting food prices - are rising sharply, driven by a combination of factors that include high oil prices spurring biofuels growth, a weak dollar and world production and consumption trends ...> Full Article

Positive effects of minimum-wage increases (7/30/2008)

Researchers have found that minimum wage increases do benefit the lowest-paid workers and do not have negative effects on their employment. ...> Full Article

Limits on futures trading could boost gas prices, expert says (7/29/2008)

Proposals to reign in wallet-draining gasoline prices by curbing speculation in oil markets would likely increase costs at the pump instead of trimming them ...> Full Article

Region hit hard by 1993 floods showed economic resiliency, study indicates (7/28/2008)

With the first wave of clean-up efforts behind them, residents of communities affected by this year's Midwest floods may find hope in a study on the economic impact of the 1993 flood that devastated much of the same region. ...> Full Article

Confidence a key to recent economic initiatives (7/27/2008)

Restoring confidence in the sputtering U.S. economy is at the heart of recent moves to shore up the nation's lagging financial and housing markets ...> Full Article

Scientists uncover the key to predicting the price of a show-jumper (7/27/2008)

The higher a horse can tuck up its front legs the higher its price on the international market ...> Full Article

Security flaws in online banking sites found to be widespread (7/26/2008)

More than 75 percent of the bank Web sites surveyed had at least one design flaw that could make customers vulnerable to cyber thieves after their money or even their identity. ...> Full Article

Struggling generations: Bankruptcies among seniors soaring (7/25/2008)

The rates of personal bankruptcies have declined among young people while soaring among older Americans, a new study shows. ...> Full Article

Study predicts crop-production costs will jump dramatically in 2009 (7/24/2008)

Soaring energy prices will yield sharp increases for corn and soybean production next year, cutting into farmers' profits and stretching already high food costs ...> Full Article

How surcharges affect pricing and purchasing (7/23/2008)

It's the little things that count ...> Full Article

Beware the superstar CEO, says economist (7/21/2008)

The seemingly charmed life of a superstar CEO can be a double-edged sword - added power and prestige for the chief executive officer, but often bad news for his or her company and shareholders ...> Full Article

Professor explores social behavior and business misdeeds (7/20/2008)

Corporate misconduct can be the stuff of high drama. But prevailing theory has it that "settling up," the process of meting out consequences for corporate misdeeds, is largely determined by quite rational, unbiased financial markets and often the legal system. ...> Full Article

Study shows overreliance on 'unfiltered' financial reports reduces inexperienced investors' returns (7/18/2008)

Inexperienced investors can negatively affect their investment results by using "unfiltered" information from Securities and Exchange Commission filings ...> Full Article

New Report Finds Four Distinct Rural Americas (7/17/2008)

The data-rich report presents a complex picture of the economics, demographics, politics, and values of people in rural America. ...> Full Article

As Economy Slumps, New Study Highlights Tools For Avoiding Fiscal Crises in Local Government (7/16/2008)

Study lays out several best practices that can be implemented by state governments to prevent or mitigate fiscal distress at the local government level. ...> Full Article

Bluffing could be common in prediction markets, study shows (7/15/2008)

A new mathematical suggests that bluffing in prediction markets is a profitable strategy more often than previously thought. ...> Full Article

U.S. firms a role model for fair hiring standards, study says (7/11/2008)

U.S. companies are helping spread fair hiring practices across the world as they set up shop in developing nations ...> Full Article

Is paying people to look after their health money well spent? (7/10/2008)

Should disadvantaged people be paid to take care of their health? ...> Full Article

Debunking the 'curse of oil' (7/9/2008)

Economists find no correlation between nations' resource endowments and the quality of their institutions ...> Full Article

Florida's rental markets latest to suffer ill effects in housing crunch (7/8/2008)

The spread of 'For Rent' signs is the latest bad news as Florida's real estate market declines in all forms of rentals ...> Full Article

Southern farmers realize profits from highbush blueberries (7/3/2008)

New blueberry crops may enhance Georgia's economy ...> Full Article

Clean energy investments charge forward despite financial market turmoil (7/2/2008)

With end of cheap oil, renewables and energy efficiency attracts fast-growing interest; new investment surpasses $148 billion in 2007, a 60 percent rise from 2006 ...> Full Article

After Bankruptcy, Americans Need 10-20 Years To Recover (7/1/2008)

People who file for bankruptcy eventually recover financially compared to those who never had to file - but it takes a long, long time. ...> Full Article