The U.S. economy tries to find its happy place

Jan 5, 2022
IHS Markit's Purchasing Managers' Indexes for services and manufacturing are a mixed bag.
Observers have attributed freight trains' service shortfalls to both pandemic-related stresses and cost-cutting to please investors.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty images

For 2012, "cautious" optimism abounds

Jan 2, 2012
Today's data on global manufacturing was better than expected. Combine that with slightly better numbers on unemployment and housing last month, and analysts think the economy is, well, better.