Economy in Crisis
The economy is front and center on nearly every news program, offering conflicting views and staggering figures. Are you just the slightest bit confused and overwhelmed?
To help you unravel the stories and causes and find individual financial advice, we offer the following:
Business-Related Database
When you click the link above, you will be prompted for your library barcode number.
This database is provided by BadgerLink.
The Business Source Premier is designed to help users research items such as economic or country analyses, investigate market trends or potential, and find current competitive information or landscape analysis information.
Highlights include:
- Company profiles
- Industry profiles
- Country reports
- Market Research reports
A copy of the user's brochure for Opposing Viewspoints is available here in PDF format.
Recent Library Materials
338.542 ROU
330.973 STE
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This blow-by-blow narrative centers on the near implosion of Wall Street in September 2008. Sorkin, chief mergers and acquisitions reporter at the New York Times, concentrates his story on Lehman Brothers, AIG, and Merrill Lynch. With these and other financial firms at risk, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, other government officials, and hundreds of bankers scrambled to avoid what they thought could be financial Armageddon. From hundreds of interviews and other sources, Sorkin constructs a detailed account of the meetings, phone calls, and even the thoughts of the participants, depicting scenes of bankers and government officials under extreme stress as Lehman went bankrupt, Merrill merged with Bank of America, and AIG became essentially a ward of the government. Sorkin's analysis ends with Paulson's forcing Troubled Asset Relief Program funds on the nine largest banks in October 2008. Verdict The level of detail and the multiple typos in the published edition will test many readers' patience. General readers may not find this the introduction and explanation that they were looking for, but Sorkin's historical account of this critical time is highly recommended for motivated readers already in the know.
Web Sites on Business, Finance and Economics
Some web sites are ongoing, with continual updates on the topics of the day; others are articles, which are more transitory. We have listed them separately.
Ongoing Web Sites on Economics:
BaselineScenario -- a blog brought to you by a multitude of economists, including Simon Johnson
The Baseline Scenario is dedicated to explaining some of the key issues in the global economy and developing concrete policy proposals. Since it was launched in September 2008, articles on this blog have been cited by The Wall Street Journal (Real Time Economics), The Economist (Free Exchange), The Financial Times, NPR (Planet Money), and many other sites around the Internet. The authors of the blog have also published articles in The Washington Post, The Financial Times, and the online editions of The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, The New Republic, The Guardian, Forbes, Bloomberg, and Reuters. The blog was the subject of an interview with Simon Johnson in The Wall Street Journal.
Simon Johnson Bloomberg has established itself as a leader in financial news and market information. The online version has broadened its general finance and business coverage. Also, the site includes practical, in-depth investment advice, aimed at first-tier investors. There are sections on U.S. global securites, including stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. There are top growth and income picks from securities savants and detailed graphs of strategists' recommendations. Updates on major international securities markets, company and industry analysis and performance projections, discussions of investment tools and techniques, and a variety of strategies for increasing personal wealth.
The library does NOT subscribe to the print version of Bloomberg Personal Finance.
BusinessWeek online
This site profiles industries, companies, and individuals, tracks political and legal issues, analyzes the impact of information technology, and reports on major developents in international business. Other sections cover commentary on social issues and lifetyle topics such as travel adn consumer product reviews. Editorials generally take a moderate position. It is written at a level appreciated by a general readership. In addition, the online version has blogs, videos, the debate room, newsletters, and a section on the green economy.
The library subscribes to the printed version of BusinessWeek.
CNNMoney online
This site is a combination of Money and Forture magazines, joined with CNN News, a Time Warner Company. Aside from covering current business and financial news, the site has comprehensive sections on markets, personal finance, retirement, technology, luxury, and small business.
The library subscribes to both Money Magazine and Fortune 500 Magazine.
Economist Magazine online
Economist.com is an excellent online source for the analysis of world business and current affairs, providing authoritative insight and opinion on international news, world politics, business, finance, science and technology, as well as overviews of cultural trends and regular industry, business and country special reports.
Economist.com publishes all articles from The Economist print edition (including those printed only in British copies) plus a searchable archive of all The Economist’s articles back to June 1997. Links to other articles and to relevant sources on the web are included with many of the stories. Other Economist.com services include: news analysis, today's news, country briefings, global executive, backgrounders, currency data, web feeds, mobile edition and diversions.
The library does NOT own the printed version of this weekly magazine.
Forbes.com is an exceptional resource offering much more than just the online version of Forbes magazine. The user has access to the entire contents of the current issue of Forbes, along with associated charts, tables, sidebars, and links to previous articles written by a particular author. In addition, there is an archive that includes the full text to articles going back to 8/26/96. The user has access to major content areas in business, technology, markets, entrepreneurs, leadership, personal finance, Forbeslife, lists and opinions.
Reuters.com is the site of this international news service. Its broad service covers the U.S., politics, international, technology, entertainment, lifestyle, sports, etc. Its special focus on business and finance cover markets, deals, stocks, currencies, and industries.
John Williams, an economist and specialist in government economic reporting, has been keeping track of the economic statistics and reporting issued by the federal government. Mr. Williams claims that the accuracy and clarity of government reporting has declined significantly in the last decade. On this site, he "exposes and analyzes flaws in current U.S. government economic data and reporting, as well as in certain private-sector numbers, and provides an assessment of underlying economic and financial conditions, net of financial-market and political hype."
Wall Street Journal online
The Wall Street Journal was originally a financial newspaper, and it is still a primary daily source for stock listings, bond ratings, currency exchange rates, and other financial data. However, it has increased its emphasis on news coverage, especially national and international news with a business or financial slant. It has a strong reputation for in-depth and well-written feature stories, which are authoritative and balanced in coverage, while its editorial page remains decidedly conservative.
The library subscribes to a printed copy of The Wall Street Journal.
Current Articles on the Economy
Layman’s Finance Crisis Glossary – brought to you by the BBC
