Economics news ... Did you know...

From the latest economic news, did you know that ...
-US debt grew by $98 billion on the last day of the year and reached a record total at year-end of $18.14 trillion? To be fair, much Social Security debt was added on the last day. But regardless, total debt since January 2009 under President Obama has increased approximately 70%.
- The stock market in 2014 had its third consecutive year of double-digit yearly gains? 2014 gain was 13.7%.
- More than half the states will have a state minimum wage above the federal minimum? Workers in 21 states will have the state minimum wage increased in 2015, bringing the total to 29 states with rates above the federal minimum. Cities such as Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle have higher minimum wages also.
- The Federal Reserve is considering raising interest rates? The Fed is trying to tighten the money supply and does not want to send a signal that the economy continues to need the kind of emergency stimulus in the form of very low interest rates. So the question now is when the Federal Reserve will act.
- Political conflict in Washington, the economy in general, unemployment or jobs, and health care are the four issues that generated the most public concern in 2014 ,according to Gallup? These issues were listed by more than 10% of those surveyed. Immigration was the fifth-largest issue, as identified by 8% of Americans.
- The U.S. economy grew faster in the third quarter of 2014 than at any point since 2003? We’ll take this growth spurt, but home sales and durable goods orders fell. Overall, we are still in a slow recovery.