(Please note this post is the latest update to a series of articles, the last being on October 31, 2011.)
I find the following charts to be disturbing. These charts would be disturbing at any point in the economic cycle; that they depict such a tenuous situation now 33 months after the official (as per the 92010 NBER announcement) June 2009 end of the recession is especially notable.
These charts raise a lot of questions. As well, they highlight the "atypical" nature of our economic situation from a longterm historical perspective. I regularly discuss many troubling characteristics of our economy in this EconomicGreenfield blog.
All of these charts (except one, as noted) are from The Federal Reserve, and represent the most recently updated data.
The following 8 charts are from the St. Louis Federal Reserve:
Housing starts (last updated 21612):
(Click to enlarge)
The Federal Deficit (last updated 21312):
(Click to enlarge)
Federal Net Outlays (last updated 21312):
(Click to enlarge)
State & Local Personal Income Tax Receipts (% Change from Year Ago) (last updated 12712):
(Click to enlarge)
Total Loans and Leases of Commercial Banks (% Change from Year Ago) (last updated 22112):
(Click to enlarge)
Bank Credit All Commercial Banks (% Change from Year Ago)(last updated 22112):
(Click to enlarge)
M1 Money Multiplier (last updated 21612):
(Click to enlarge)
Median Duration of Unemployment (last updated 2312):
(Click to enlarge)
This next chart is from the CalculatedRisk.com blog post of 2312, titled "Graphs: Unemployment Rate, Participation Rate, Jobs Added" and it shows (in red) the relative length and depth of this downturn and subsequent recovery from an employment perspective:
(Click to enlarge)
This last chart is of the Chicago Fed National Activity Index (CFNAI) and it depicts broadbased economic activity (last updated 22112):
(Click to enlarge)
I will continue to update these charts on an intermittent basis as they deserve close monitoring …
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.
