Economy down, lottery tickets up
Lottery ticket sales have surged across the United States. Seventeen states, including Arizona, Iowa, and Pennsylvania, sold record numbers of tickets in the past fiscal year. “I think it has a lot to do with the economy,” said California gas station attendant Abel Reynoso. “People are getting desperate.”
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The stock market's new volatility
Large stock market swings on the order of 3 or 4 percent are more likely now than at any time in recent history, according to an analysis of S&P 500 price changes since 1962. Faster computerized trading and the speed of news could be behind the greater volatility.
The New York Times
Electronic bill paying reaches new threshold
U.S. households paid more bills electronically than by mail for the first time ever last year, according to a U.S. Postal Service study. Only about 15 percent of the 48 billion bills sent each year are delivered online, but as that figure increases, the USPS’s current economic woes are expected to worsen further.
Bloomberg Businessweek
The world's largest employers
Seven of the world’s 10 biggest employers are run by governments. The U.S. Defense Department leads the pack, with 3.2 million employees, followed by the Chinese Army, with 2.3 million. Also in the top 10: China National Petroleum Corp. and Britain’s National Health Service.
The Economist
World Bank says U.S. business faces light regulatory burden
Businesses in the U.S. face the fifth-lightest regulatory burden among those in 183 nations, according to the World Bank. Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, and the U.K. tied for having the lightest regulations. China placed 79th, Brazil 127th, and India 134th.
MarketWatch.com
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Weapons: Julia Garner stars in 'hyper-eerie' psychological thrillerThe Week Recommends Zach Cregger's 'top notch' new film opens with 17 children disappearing at exactly the same time
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Freakier Friday: Lohan and Curtis reunite for 'uneven' but 'endearing' sequelThe Week Recommends Mother-and-daughter comedy returns with four characters switching bodies
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Al fresco art: the UK's best sculpture parksThe Week Recommends Soak up the scenery with a stroll through these open-air galleries
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The bottom linefeature Sedentary habits keep rising; A new home for Twinkies; Taco Bell's new hit; Companies stretch the workweek; Women's wages still fall short
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The bottom line
feature Where to stash your cash; Facebook's tax refund; The value of old phones; The wealth of America's megabanks; Grateful alumni
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The bottom line
feature High cellphone taxes; Companies shore up pension funds; The bite of high gas prices; More dads stay home; Americans' scarce savings; Clorox sales hit a peak
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The bottom line
feature Taxi drivers with college degrees; Morgan Stanley's revealing nicknames; Sleep deprivation and lost productivity; A retreat for Barnes & Noble; Signs of a stabilizing economy
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The bottom line
feature Companies cut spending because of fiscal cliff; Administrative bloat and tuition costs; Market for new and existing homes improves; Annual federal deficit as share of GDP decreases; Federal rules for contracts get flouted
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The bottom line
feature No-growth small businesses; Swift sales for Taylor's new album; Predicting doctors' costs; Airlines face shortfall in qualified pilots; Will Japan slip into recession?
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The bottom line
feature Apple's corporate tax rate; A housing market still in the tank; Boeing's Dreamliner earns rave reviews; Billions owed in child support; Goldman Sachs trims its ranks
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The bottom line
feature No new jobs in August for small business; Lowest corn harvest in 17 years; Louboutin wins battle over red soles; The growing American lower class; U.S.'s competitive ranking drops; The expanding wealth gap