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Following the transportation industry is one way to judge how the economy is doing. Trucks and railroads pretty much move all the goods and raw materials that are sold or used in the United States. That is one reason investors keep an eye on the Dow Jones Transportation Index to get a feeling for how the economy is performing. Neither railroad traffic nor the Index are doing well recently.

The underlying economy is weaker than perceived when you look at March quarter’s GDP numbers and the recent employment report. And if the economy continues on this path it could enter a recession when few are forecasting one with one reliable indicator foreshadowing a downturn in the next 6 to 18 months.

Railroad traffic is lower than last year and getting worse

The Association of American Railroads or AAR tracks U.S. rail traffic and releases weekly, monthly and yearly data. Monitoring this activity provides another indication on how the economy is performing.

 

In its most recent release ending on June 1 it shows that total rail traffic is down over 2% year over year and has weakened as the year has progressed. For 2019 year to date year over year changes have been:

January:     Up 1.1%

February:   Down 0.2%

March:         Down 1.8%

April:            Down 1.9%

May:             Down 2.4%

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckjones/2019/06/10/trumps-economy-is-literally-coming-off-the-rails/#7c33a02d607d

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Posted
5 minutes ago, Tiberius said:

 

 

 

Following the transportation industry is one way to judge how the economy is doing. Trucks and railroads pretty much move all the goods and raw materials that are sold or used in the United States. That is one reason investors keep an eye on the Dow Jones Transportation Index to get a feeling for how the economy is performing. Neither railroad traffic nor the Index are doing well recently.

The underlying economy is weaker than perceived when you look at March quarter’s GDP numbers and the recent employment report. And if the economy continues on this path it could enter a recession when few are forecasting one with one reliable indicator foreshadowing a downturn in the next 6 to 18 months.

Railroad traffic is lower than last year and getting worse

The Association of American Railroads or AAR tracks U.S. rail traffic and releases weekly, monthly and yearly data. Monitoring this activity provides another indication on how the economy is performing.

 

In its most recent release ending on June 1 it shows that total rail traffic is down over 2% year over year and has weakened as the year has progressed. For 2019 year to date year over year changes have been:

January:     Up 1.1%

February:   Down 0.2%

March:         Down 1.8%

April:            Down 1.9%

May:             Down 2.4%

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckjones/2019/06/10/trumps-economy-is-literally-coming-off-the-rails/#7c33a02d607d

 

I've read this same type of article numerous times since Trump was elected. 

Posted
1 hour ago, Tiberius said:

 

 

 

Following the transportation industry is one way to judge how the economy is doing. Trucks and railroads pretty much move all the goods and raw materials that are sold or used in the United States. That is one reason investors keep an eye on the Dow Jones Transportation Index to get a feeling for how the economy is performing. Neither railroad traffic nor the Index are doing well recently.

The underlying economy is weaker than perceived when you look at March quarter’s GDP numbers and the recent employment report. And if the economy continues on this path it could enter a recession when few are forecasting one with one reliable indicator foreshadowing a downturn in the next 6 to 18 months.

Railroad traffic is lower than last year and getting worse

The Association of American Railroads or AAR tracks U.S. rail traffic and releases weekly, monthly and yearly data. Monitoring this activity provides another indication on how the economy is performing.

 

In its most recent release ending on June 1 it shows that total rail traffic is down over 2% year over year and has weakened as the year has progressed. For 2019 year to date year over year changes have been:

January:     Up 1.1%

February:   Down 0.2%

March:         Down 1.8%

April:            Down 1.9%

May:             Down 2.4%

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/chuckjones/2019/06/10/trumps-economy-is-literally-coming-off-the-rails/#7c33a02d607d

You jump on every report, fake or not, that might show a negative for our country. It's as if you revel in bad news. I guess I'll have to bring back the "Gleeful Gator" moniker for you as you put your anti-American mask on.

Posted
4 minutes ago, 3rdnlng said:

You jump on every report, fake or not, that might show a negative for our country. It's as if you revel in bad news. I guess I'll have to bring back the "Gleeful Gator" moniker for you as you put your anti-American mask on.

No you idiot, I'm not the one doing fake news. You are so dishonest

Posted
3 minutes ago, Tiberius said:

No you idiot, I'm not the one doing fake news...

 

I love you, Tibs, but you're still pushing a Trump/Russia conspiracy which has been debunked by three separate investigations -- including Mueller's. 

 

So... you are, and have been for three years. 

Posted
41 minutes ago, 3rdnlng said:

You jump on every report, fake or not, that might show a negative for our country. It's as if you revel in bad news. I guess I'll have to bring back the "Gleeful Gator" moniker for you as you put your anti-American mask on.

 

To be fair both left and right are guilty of this.  We all want "our guy or gal" to be right and theirs to be wrong.  And hoping for bad things to happen while "their guy or gal" is in office is a tradition. A dumb one but there it is.  To say that those of us on the right were not looking at any bad news during the Obama administration just so we could say "AHA!!  You ***** up!!" is disingenuous.  

Posted
39 minutes ago, Chef Jim said:

 

To be fair both left and right are guilty of this.  We all want "our guy or gal" to be right and theirs to be wrong.  And hoping for bad things to happen while "their guy or gal" is in office is a tradition. A dumb one but there it is.  To say that those of us on the right were not looking at any bad news during the Obama administration just so we could say "AHA!!  You ***** up!!" is disingenuous.  

While I despised Obama and his policies for example, I don't remember ever wishing bad things for America while he was in office.

Posted

 

Quote

 

The Trump administration’s overhaul of the U.S. tax codeOpens a New Window. has done little to spur major corporations to increase capital investments or hiring plansOpens a New Window., according to a survey by the National Association For Business Economics.

Officially implemented in January 2018, the $1.5 trillion tax reform package reduced the corporate tax rate to 21 percent from 35 percent and changed the way the government taxes businesses that operate overseas.  

However, a survey of 106 NABE members revealed that 84 percent of respondents said their companies had not changed their capex plans due to tax reform. That figure rose slightly compared to results of NABE’s last survey from October, when 81 percent of economists noted no change to plans for capital investment or hiring.

 
 

 

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/us-economy-unlikely-to-enter-recession-in-next-12-months-nabe-survey
Posted
55 minutes ago, Chef Jim said:

 

To be fair both left and right are guilty of this.  We all want "our guy or gal" to be right and theirs to be wrong.  And hoping for bad things to happen while "their guy or gal" is in office is a tradition. A dumb one but there it is.  To say that those of us on the right were not looking at any bad news during the Obama administration just so we could say "AHA!!  You ***** up!!" is disingenuous.  

 

the left demands to change society right now, no matter what it is, usually in total disregard to the laws of nature and human nature

 

conservatives aren't like that, they want to keep the good things and bring back some of the good things the lunatics destroyed when they held power in the 60s and 70s

 

Posted
1 hour ago, Deranged Rhino said:

 

I love you, Tibs, but you're still pushing a Trump/Russia conspiracy which has been debunked by three separate investigations -- including Mueller's. 

 

So... you are, and have been for three years. 

Nothing of the sort has been debunked. Trump proves he is working with Putin every time he talks about him. 

 

 

Posted
3 minutes ago, 3rdnlng said:

While I despised Obama and his policies for example, I don't remember ever wishing bad things for America while he was in office.

 

Good for you. Now point out where in my post I mentioned you specifically.  Just pointing out that many on the right did wish for bad things.  

1 minute ago, Tiberius said:

 Trump proves he is working with Putin every time he talks about him. 

 

Whoa whoa whoa stop the presses.  You have now officially gone completely bat ***** crazy.  You have posted some really really really dumbass things over the years but this is by far the dumbassiest.  Again...keep it up.  Fuel for the Trump 2020 fire.  

Posted
10 minutes ago, Chef Jim said:

 

Good for you. Now point out where in my post I mentioned you specifically.  Just pointing out that many on the right did wish for bad things.  

 

 

You made a general statement, Mr. Grinch.

Posted
34 minutes ago, 3rdnlng said:

You made a general statement, Mr. Grinch.

 

Yes, I made a general statement and you took it personally.   Thanks for reinforcing my point. 

Posted
1 hour ago, Chef Jim said:

 

To be fair both left and right are guilty of this.  We all want "our guy or gal" to be right and theirs to be wrong.  And hoping for bad things to happen while "their guy or gal" is in office is a tradition. A dumb one but there it is.  To say that those of us on the right were not looking at any bad news during the Obama administration just so we could say "AHA!!  You ***** up!!" is disingenuous.  

 

You said all, and I was going to reply the same as 3rd.  I did not want Obama to fail.  I don't have time for that. My income is pretty dependent on the economy. 

 

Now, when things went bad, I did like to say Thanks, Obama!

 

But, I think people on the left, most, would rather Trump fail and things go bad.  

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Posted
5 minutes ago, bbb said:

 

You said all, and I was going to reply the same as 3rd.  I did not want Obama to fail.  I don't have time for that. My income is pretty dependent on the economy. 

 

Now, when things went bad, I did like to say Thanks, Obama!

 

But, I think people on the left, most, would rather Trump fail and things go bad.  

 

Fair enough. 

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Posted
6 minutes ago, bbb said:

But, I think people on the left, most, would rather Trump fail and things go bad.  

 

They need it.  It's the only way they can ram through their agenda, is in the wake of a crisis.

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Posted
45 minutes ago, Chef Jim said:

 

Yes, I made a general statement and you took it personally.   Thanks for reinforcing my point. 

You need to take a pill...………………………………………….or hook up with Bob.

Posted (edited)
1 minute ago, 3rdnlng said:

You need to take a pill...………………………………………….or hook up with Bob.

 

No I just need to follow along a little better.  

 

But my point still stands that both sides are very guilty of this practice.  Because I mistakenly used the word all (and I rarely paint with a broad brush) does not have me backing down from my point.  

Edited by Chef Jim
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