Forecast: Ventura County economy to contract further in 2017

Ventura County’s economy is expected to contract further in 2017, declining by nearly 1 percentage point. That is the prediction of the California Lutheran University Center for Economic Research and Forecasting, which will present its forecast on Oct. 26. The CERF report says the dominant economic story to emerge in Ventura County over the past Read More →
California’s economic growth slowing

California’s economic growth has slowed compared to the U.S. economy and the trend of slowing growth will continue over the next two years with GDP growth declining to 2.3 percent, the California Lutheran University Center for Economic Research and Forecasting said in its Sept. 21 forecast. Job growth is expected to drop to 1.3 percent, Read More →
Measure of business inventory could dictate future of interest rates
NEW YORK — An often-overlooked measure of business inventories may hold a powerful clue to the future direction of interest rates, an influential Federal Reserve official said Oct. 9. Dennis Lockhard, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, told a group of business journalists that his staff’s analysis of third quarter GDP has reported Read More →
Straight talk from China would calm stock market turbulence
What a difference a week makes. A mid-August meltdown in the Chinese stock market suddenly went global, putting major U.S. averages in meltdown mode. Federal Reserve Bank of New York President Bill Dudley put it bluntly on Aug. 26, suggesting at a news conference that the case for raising interest rates in September is now Read More →
Carbon tax right policy for Tri-Counties
By Mike McEachen As a frequent visitor to Refugio Beach, I was saddened by the oil that spewed out of the underground pipeline operated by Plains All American Pipeline and fouled our beach and coastline. My family and friends had to cancel our annual Memorial Weekend Refugio Beach campout that we made reservations for six Read More →
Fed economist forecasts 2.5% growth this year

Zimmerman: Inflation is expected to be at around 1.5 percent in 2012 and 2013.