No longer able to blame winter weather, economists see real weakness in housing
<i>Breakfast with Benjamin:</i> The truth of the housing market is about to hit. Plus: A fresh batch of market data to start your week; the rich have gotten richer since the financial crisis; stocks are being called overpriced; and why working for a hedge fund is better than working at your company.
- As the winter weather melts away, economists are starting to see another problem behind a slowing housing market. The short answer is lackluster demand. Early-spring sales season “decidedly tepid”
- U.S. markets will hit the decks running Monday as earnings season picks up where it left off before the Easter weekend. On the docket, Netflix and Kimberly-Clark are scheduled to report. Later this week the market will be looking for the Alibaba IPO. Meanwhile, Ukraine is still simmering
- Contrary to all the fairness noise coming out of the White House, the economic recovery has been setting the table for the rich to keep getting richer. More than 80% of the post-recession rise in household income has been concentrated in the top 20%. Unevenly distributed income gains
- The average stock is more expensive than it was at the dotcom bubble peak, according to Henry Blodget's math. The world according to Henry
- Hedge funds continue to have all the fun. Compared to investment bankers, hedge fund employees get better pay, better hours and much better perks. A well-stocked bar, three meals a day, and an in-house psychiatrist
