Washington DC -October 28- The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, Which had improved moderately in September, fell to an all-time low in October. The Index now stands at 38.0, down from 61.4 in September, according to the Conference Board in New York City.

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Washington DC -October 22- The Tampa Bay Rays will play the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2008 World Series beginning Wednesday, Oct. 22, in St. Petersburg, Fla. This will be the 104th edition of major league baseball’s best-of-seven championship series, marking the first World Series appearance for the American League champion Rays since entering the league in 1998. The National League champion Phillies make their sixth appearance, with their only victory coming in 1980 over the Kansas City Royals.

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Washington DC -October 21- In the year ahead farmers will probably continue to realize fairly strong cash receipts, but by the same token they will see significant increases in input costs.

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Washington DC –October 21- The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) Director Danni Beer, Keldron, SD made the following statement regarding the decision by Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc. and Cargill Meat Solutions to comply with the intent of mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL): Read the rest of this entry »

Washington DC -October 17- Prices paid by consumers fell slightly in September, according to the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released by the U.S. Department of Labor.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the CPI-U was virtually unchanged in September following a 0.1 percent decrease in August.  The index for energy fell 1.9 percent in September following a 3.1 percent decline in August.  The motor fuel index declined 0.8 percent in September but was 31.8 percent higher than a year ago.  The index for household energy fell 3.4 percent in September after a 1.6 percent decrease in August. The food index advanced 0.6 percent in September, the same increase as in August. The index for food at home rose 0.6 percent in September after a 0.8 percent rise in August and is up 7.6 percent over the past year.  The index for all items less food and energy increased 0.1 percent in September, decelerating for the second straight month.

To view the entire report, Click Here

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Labor

More info at: http://www.bls.gov/

Washington DC -October 13- Following is a statement from Interim Assistant Secretary for Financial Stability Neel Kashkari Remarks before the Institute of International Bankers:

Good morning and thank you for that kind welcome. I am here today to provide a comprehensive update on the Treasury Department’s progress in implementing the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).

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Washington DC –October 12– Following is a statement by Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson at the Development Committee Meeting:
 
We meet at a time when the global economic environment is undergoing the most serious stresses in recent memory.   Financial market developments are having an acute impact on advanced economies, and we can expect the crisis to have major ramifications for emerging markets and the poorest countries as well.  These events will test the ability of the World Bank and the IMF to respond effectively, and it is imperative that they stand ready to deploy their resources to mitigate the impact of this crisis, especially on the poorest and most vulnerable.

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