Economy
Some Perspectives on Another Weak Employment Report
In April, US non-farm payroll jobs rose by a meager 115,000, and the unemployment rate fell slightly from 8.2% to 8.1% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lower unemployment rate resulted from a 196,000 decline in employment and an even larger 342,000 drop in the labor force. The civilian labor force participation rate fell […]
Read MoreQ & A: Legislative recap
1. SO WHAT DOES THE STATE HAVE PLANNED FOR THE NEXT TWO FISCAL YEARS? A review of the budget shows three main points: –Increased spending on education, medical, other state services. –Big increases in spending on capital projects. –Important state reserve funds have not been replenished. 2. LET’S LOOK AT EACH ONE OF THESE. WHAT’S […]
Read MoreAn economic approach to assessing import policies designed to prevent the arrival of invasive species: the case of Puccinia psidii in Hawai‘i
Since its first documented introduction to Hawai‘i in 2005, the rust fungus Puccinia psidii has already severely damaged Syzygium jambos (Indian rose apple) trees and the federally endangered Eugenia koolauensis (nioi). Fortunately, the particular strain has yet to cause serious damage to Metrosideros polymorpha (‘ōhi‘a). However, the introduction of more virulent strains and the genetic […]
Read MoreQ & A: Unemployment Numbers
1. HAWAII’S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE SEEMS TO ALWAYS BE BELOW THE US UNEMPLOYMENT RATE. HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON? Since the mid-1970s. It’s below the US rate in good time and in bad times.Consider the February 2012 unemployment rates for Hawaii and the US: Hawaii: 6.4% US: 8.3%. A difference of 1.9%.. 2. SO […]
Read MoreChinese Saving Dynamics: The Impact of GDP Growth and the Dependent Share
China’s national saving rate rose rapidly in the 2000s after declining through the late 1990s. These dynamics are not explained by precautionary motives, the institutional distribution of income, or reform related processes in general. Rather, we find a compelling explanation lies with GDP growth fluctuations and movement in the dependent share in population. We estimate […]
Read MoreDisappointing Employment Report
The addition of 120,000 jobs in March was much less than expected. The consensus was for an increase of 201,000 jobs and for no change in the unemployment rate. From the US Bureau of Labor Statistics March 2012 Employment Situation: Nonfarm payroll employment rose by 120,000 in March, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 8.2 […]
Read MoreGoing green: Green jobs in Hawaii
According to a March 22, 2012 press release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2010 there were 3.1 million “green” jobs in the United States of which 15,583 were located in Hawaii. The number at first might seem to be low compared to other states. However, percentage wise the number of people employed in “green” […]
Read MoreQ & A: Hawaii’s Green Energy Bank
1. HAWAII’S STATE LEGISLATORS HAVE BEEN CONSIDERING A PROPOSAL TO ESTABLISH A STATE-RUN BANK TO FUND CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS. HOW IS THIS BANK SUPPOSED TO WORK. House bill 1033 would establish a clean energy bank. The bill has been approved by the Senate’s Energy and Environment Committee. The state-run bank would make low-interest loans to […]
Read MoreHawaii’s unemployment rate revised up for 2009-2011
According to the latest regional labor force data reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Hawaii fell by 0.1% point to 6.5% in January 2012. However, the 0.1% drop was entirely the result of a 0.2% decline in the labor force. In fact, the employment level fell by 0.1%, and […]
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