Economy
Q&A: Employment and Unemployment in Hawaii
1. HAWAII’S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE INCREASED FROM 6.1 PERCENT IN JULY TO 6.2 PERCENT IN AUGUST. WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? The basic reason is that the number of Hawaii’s people in the labor force and without jobs increased by 900. One reason is the continuing weakness in the tourism this summer with declines in June and […]
Read MoreHonolulu GDP posts 1.7% growth in 2010
Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the Honolulu metropolitan area grew by a moderate 1.7% in 2010 according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis GDP by Metro Area, Advance 2010 released this week. While Honolulu’s moderate growth places it within the third quintile of all U.S. metropolitan areas, growth of 1.7% is a significant improvement over […]
Read MoreOil Prices and Hawaii Travel
Oil prices have fluctuated widely in recent years. In our recent County Forecast Report, we discussed how oil affects the overall economy. Because fuel costs represent about 40% of airline expenses, they can have a large effect on the profitability and behavior of airlines, and ultimately the Hawaii tourism industry. The price of oil has a […]
Read MoreThoughts on President Obama’s proposed Jobs Act
President Obama proposed a larger-than-expected $447 billion American Jobs Act. More than half the package is for an expansion of this year’s payroll tax cuts and similar relief for employers. Tax cuts of this type may have limited bang per buck, but they can be implemented quickly, important given the urgency of the jobs problem. Also included […]
Read MoreThe Direct and Indirect Contributions of Tourism to Regional GDP: Hawaii
After two decades of development and refinement, the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) has been touted as the most comprehensive way to measure the economic contribution of tourism to a destination’s gross domestic product. However, recent literature has pointed out that the TSA is deficient in that it does not yield the indirect contribution of tourism […]
Read MoreRecession or Not, US Growth Will Continue to Disappoint
The US economy is once again flirting with recession. While most data still suggest continued growth, recent events have clearly turned in a more negative direction. Coming weeks will show whether the damage is bad enough to tip the economy into a full-fledged downturn. In the mean time, this period of slower growth is taking […]
Read MoreIn Weak Economy the Fed is prepared to act
The US Bureau of Economic Analysis released a downward revision to its estimate of second quarter Gross Domestic Product this morning. They now estimate that the US economy expanded at a 1.0% annualized rate during the second quarter, down from 1.3% in their advance release The primary factors leading to the downward revision were a decline in […]
Read MoreQ & A: Social Security Disability Program – Problems and Reforms
1. THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION IS KNOWN FOR ITS OLD-AGE PENSION PROGRAM BUT IT ALSO RUNS A PROGRAM PROVIDING BENEFITS TO DISABLED AMERICANS? The Social Security Disability Program provides insurance for American workers and their families against being left in poverty and unable to pay medical expenses if they become disabled. The Program currently provides […]
Read MoreHawaii Tourism Faces Challenging 2011
A little more than half way through 2011, Hawaii finds itself facing more economic uncertainty as the EU and US economies deal with slow growth, financial market volatility, and nervous consumers. What a disappointment given the early prospects for a year of strengthening tourism. But early in the year the tourism outlook was tarnished by […]
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