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The article presents a tale of two economies as the challenge facing the U.S. Federal Reserve in December 2018. It explores the concern of Wall Street investors on threats to the economic expansion. The effect of rising interest rates on the growth of the economy is discussed, as well as the reflection of the fragility of the economy in the anxiety of investors.

The article discusses the U.S. Census Bureau's report on the increase in median income of U.S., including income increases for the middle and working classes. The relationship between Americans' income with the country's economic growth and economic expansion is discussed.

The article discusses economic expansion in the U.S., noting a trend of income gains increasingly benefiting the top 10 percent of wealthiest Americans rather than the bottom 90 percent of earners. The author notes a study by economist Pavlina R. Tcherneva that found that income declined for the bottom 90 percent and increased for the top 10 percent of earners in the U.S. between 2009-2012, and he notes that the top one percent of earners received 95 percent of all income gains during that period.

The article focuses on Web search giant Google, as the company increasingly becomes the starting point for finding information and buying products and services. Other companies are beginning to view the company with anxiety and admiration. Recent moves by Google have stirred concern in a number of industries. The company could extend its economic reach in the coming years, according to analysts, and may have a more far-reaching impact than earlier Web companies such as Amazon and eBay. New projects being developed by Google are focusing on real estate and automobile sales.

The article reports that, at a time of rising political tensions, heightened by a growing nationalism, China and Japan are more intertwined economically than they have ever been. The ties offer a counterpoint to rapidly deteriorating diplomatic relations, which reached another low point when Japan's Prime Minister visited the Yasukuni Shrine, the nationalist memorial to Japan's war dead, and China immediately called off high-level talks. Tensions will likely keep rising with Asia's transformation: China, which had lost its historical role as the region's economic and political lead to Japan in the last century and a half, is hungry to reclaim it. China's economic ascension has been so fast that Japan must now contemplate a true rivalry.

Suggests that the withdrawal of Cnooc Ltd.'s bid for Unocal seems unlikely to derail China's economic expansion overseas. U.S. concerns over the Chinese company's proposed deal; Observation that, while Congressional resistance appears to have killed the Chinese bid, the economic fundamentals behind the bid remain in place; Impact of the failed bid on Chinese public opinion toward the U.S.; Worries that the failed bid could encourage Chinese oil companies to invest in countries like Sudan and Myanmar, whose leaderships are in poor favor with the U.S.; Views of analysts; Significance of the agreement by Nanjing Automobile of China to buy a factory and other assets from bankrupt MG Rover Group of Britain; Topic of energy assets.

Examines the reaction in Japan to the growing economic power of China. Increased reluctance of Japanese investors to make further investments in China; Reasons for the changed attitude, including a wave of anti-Japanese protests in Chinese cities; Fueling of the protests involving the two Asian powers by deep disputes over World War II narratives in Japanese textbooks, territorial arguments and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to a shrine to Japanese war dead; Views of analysts; Suggestion that reassuring Japanese investors will be crucial for China to invigorate the economy and create jobs in less prosperous areas; Concerns of the U.S. about China's economic power, in light of the bid by the China National Offshore Oil Corporation for Unocal; Overview of foreign investment in China.

Examines the impact of corporate and political corruption in China on the country's growth. Details of China's long-running wave of corporate and government corruption scandals; Bank scandals, including the resignation of Zhang Enzhao, chairman of the China Construction Bank, following accusations that Zhang accepted a bribe; Observation that a true economic superpower depends on credible banking; How the corruption scandals offer a telling glimpse into the darker side of China's remarkable ascent; Views of experts; Overview of the economy; Mistrust of investors regarding public companies created out of state enterprises. INSETS: One Thing After Another;Lawsuit Involving Bribery Preceded Bank Resignation.

The ratings agency Standard & Poor's Corp.(S.& P.) lifted its outlook on Japan on March 24, 2004, saying that growth prospects have improved for the country, the world's second largest-economy. The improved outlook follows signs that Japan's two-year-old economic recovery is gaining momentum and widening beyond exports, so far the main factor powering growth. S.& P. raised the outlook for its rating on Japan's sovereign debt to stable from negative, citing the benefits of corporate restructuring and a decline in the bad loans held by bank which have weighed heavily on the economy.

Focuses on how much of gains New York City made during the economic boom of the 1990s has been lost due to the economic downturn that followed. Comparison of the number of jobs in New York City in May 2003 and at the peak of the boom, indicating a drop in jobs; Other statistics related to unemployment and what segments of the population are experiencing it; Comments form James Parrott, chief economist for the Fiscal Policy Institute, suggesting individuals are worse off in 2003 than prior to the expansion of the 1990s.

The article reports on a survey suggesting the continued economic expansion of the euro zone countries with unexpected gains in France and signs of the region's depresses labor market in March 2014.

The article focuses on the development plan that would benefit the city centers around Lake Tahoe in both Nevada and California states through more construction and the expansion of casinos, ski resorts and other facilities.

The article focuses on the revitalization in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It outlines the thriving infrastructures in the area as well as the condition of various corporate business activities, which contributed to its continued economic development. It also notes the area's available open spaces for creative professionals who want to live and start their own businesses in the city. An overview of several artists, business owners, and hoteliers who live in the area is also provided.

The article focuses on the report from the U.S. Department of Commerce which revealed that consumer spending has boosted economic growth at an annual rate of two percent in the third quarter of 2012. It argues that despite consumer confidence, the pace of the economic growth is still slow in reducing the unemployment rate. According to Joshua Dennerlein, an economist at Bank of America Corp., consumer spending has increased because consumers are feeling wealthier.

HARDLY a day goes by without news of yet another economic problem facing China. A frothy real estate market. Quickly rising wages. A weakening manufacturing sector. Tightening lending standards. The list can seem endless and frightening. But after a recent visit to China, I remain staunchly optimistic that it will continue to be the world's greatest machine for economic expansion. While developed countries bump along with little growth, China's gross domestic product is expected to increase by 9.2 percent in 2011 and an equally astonishing 8.5 percent next year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Reserve's policy-making committee is increasingly divided between advocates for stronger steps to bolster the economy and dissenters who see little benefit and considerable risk in such efforts, according to minutes of the committee's most recent meeting. The Federal Open Market Committee voted at the end of a two-day meeting in September to begin an effort to reduce long-term interest rates, allowing businesses and consumers to borrow more cheaply. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the two years since he became chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, Rocco Landesman has been trying to make the case that art is an effective linchpin to economic development. Now in a broad effort to build on that thesis, he has helped to enlist an unusual consortium of foundations, corporations and federal agencies that will use cultural enterprises to anchor and enliven 34 projects around the country, from a struggling city block in Detroit to a vacant school in East Harlem. The projects will receive $11.5 million in grants from the foundations and another $12 million in loans from the corporations under the program that is to be financed through the private sector but coordinated in part by federal agencies. The program, to be announced on Thursday and called ArtPlace, aims to integrate artists and arts groups into local efforts in transportation, housing, community development and job creation as an important tool of economic recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A weak economy got a little lift Thursday with new data suggesting companies were not pursuing large layoffs. New applications for unemployment benefits declined for a second week after rising in the previous three. And more people signed contracts to buy homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States economy expanded at a slower rate in the first quarter than originally estimated, the Commerce Department reported Thursday, partly because of a slight decrease in the pace of consumer spending. But the status of the recovery still hinges on the prospects for job growth, analysts said. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The agency responsible for economic development under Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has failed to turn over to the city more than $125 million in payments, taxes and fees, according to an audit conducted by the city comptroller to be released on Wednesday. The comptroller, John C. Liu, said the agency, the Economic Development Corporation, had hoarded money it earned through leases on buildings in Times Square and the sale of city properties and had improperly held money in a dormant account. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

While much of the oil industry contracted last year, Exxon Mobil expanded its oil and gas operations in the United States and around the world. Exxon, the top Western oil company, took advantage of the weak climate to bolster its operations, buying smaller rivals and attractive assets as it sought to lay the foundation for growth once the economy rebounds. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

After enduring three years of delays, several lawsuits and the collapse of the real estate market, the $4.9 billion Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn took a major step forward on Tuesday when New York's highest court ruled that the state can seize private property for the 22-acre development. The Court of Appeals ruled 6 to 1 that the state could exercise eminent domain in claiming businesses, public property and private homes for economic development projects like Atlantic Yards. In doing so, the court backed the state's assessment that the area in question -- where some holdouts had refused to sell their property -- fit the legal definition of being blighted. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Melville Island lies half an hour by small plane north of Darwin, Australia, at the very tip of the Northern Territory. On a hazy day, it seems to take shape in the Arafura Sea like a more substantial haze. The pilot makes a slow sweep to give his only passenger -- me -- a good look at the landscape before we touch down at Garden Point, the tiny airstrip outside a village called Pirlangimpi. As we begin descending from 4,500 feet, the pilot tells me about an enormous convective storm called Hector -- one of the tallest thunderheads in the world -- that forms over Melville and Bathurst Island (collectively known as the Tiwi Islands) every afternoon during the monsoon. He points out a network of straight, raw, red-dirt roads running through the backcountry. I look more closely and see that the irregular broken cover of eucalyptuses native to the Tiwi Islands gives way to what look like geometrically planted orchards -- 75,000 acres of them. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Has Asia's economic recovery reached a turning point? Recent economic data, some unexpectedly good results from companies around the region, early signs of some new hiring, and a stock market rally that has defied most analysts' expectations would seem to indicate that perhaps it has. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Reports on the warning of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that differences in economic performance are widening among Europe, Asia and the U.S., with possible long-term consequences for global growth.

Reports that the economic recovery in Argentina has defied forecasts. Background on Argentina's economic collapse in December 2001; Details of the country's economic rebound; Economic indicators, including a stable currency; Investments; How the recovery has been achieved in part by ignoring and even defying economic and political orthodoxy; Role of the Peronist-led government in stimulating internal consumption; Views of analysts; Consumer behavior; Why traditional free-market economists remain skeptical of the government's approach; Outlook.

Focuses on Brazil's economy and the role of Antonio Palocci, the country's finance minister. Brazil's boom in exports and expected trade surplus this year; How the wave of economic good news has solidified Palocci's reputation as the most influential member of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's cabinet; Ways that da Silva has sought to bolster Palocci's standing; Details of Brazil's rebound, which has been fueled by the global economy and a surge in prices for commodities; Comments of Palocci; Palocci's austere fiscal and monetary policies.

Reports on the decline in world poverty due to global economic expansion. Possibility of achieving the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations; Ability of people to enjoy large rises in their standard of living; Observation of improvements at the bottom of the income ladder.

Examines how Ireland's economic boom has left the country with some of the highest prices in Europe. Inflation details; How the change has been across the board, from groceries and clothing to services and utilities; Social and economic impact of price increases on the country; Housing prices; Complaints of consumers; Tourism industry; Views of analysts regarding Ireland's period of runaway inflation; How businesses in Ireland are also feeling the impact.

Reports that Brazil's President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva is sounding a cautious note despite signs of optimism in the country's economy. Better economic growth rate than expected and more recent indicators that the recovery is spreading to industrial production, capital goods spending and rising retail sales; Jobs outlook, which is on the mend but with less momentum than other indicators; Brazil's need to put in effect policies to attract foreign investment; Expectations of inflation and raises in interest rates.

Reports that the economic growth and expansion of Australia slowed in the first quarter of 2004. Gross domestic product; Status of the housing market.

Reports on the economic expansion of Canada for the first quarter of 2004 as result of exports and bouyant spending by consumers.

Examines the stability of Japan's economic recovery in 2004. Basis of market analysts' uncertainty about the future economic prospects of the country; Contribution of China's economy to the Japanese economic expansion; Questions whether Japan can continue to grow based on domestic consumer-led demand.

Announces that Umpqua Holdings Corp. will buy Humboldt Bancorp to expand in Northern California.

Examines China's economy in 2004. Comparison with Japan in the late 1980s; Role of multinational companies and foreign investment; Why China is an even greater economic challenge to the U.S. than Japan; Potential size of China's market; Concentration of new industry and commerce in China's southeast region; China's transition from a planned economy to capitalism; Views of analysts; Attitudes of U.S. politicians and of the President George W. Bush administration; China's biggest competitive advantage, its immense and low-paid work force; How China has benefited from opening up to the global economy; Outlook.

Examines China's economy and suggests that China may be in a bubble regarding investments. Reference to economic bubbles in Japan, Thailand and Indonesia; Overview of China's economy; Possible implications of a sharp economic slowdown for China; Concerns of the Chinese government; Effort to dissuade banks from reckless lending; China's role in the global economy; Prediction of economists that growth will slow; Risks of a slowdown to China and the world; Discussion of business-cycle-, protectionism- and financial-risks; Role of President Hu Jintao; Issue of political instability; Outlook.

Discusses campaign strategies of the Democrats in the 2004 presidential election, in light of a surge in the economy this past quarter. How the rapid change in the economic outlook is forcing Democratic candidates to alter their attack on President George W. Bush's economic record; Views of candidates on economic growth; Implications for Democrats if there is a sustained recovery; Public opinion regarding the economy; Challenges and opportunities facing Democrats.

Examines Russian President Vladimir V. Putin's plan to double the country's economy in a decade. Economic growth and foreign investment; Overview of the economy; Outlook for Russia joining the World Trade Organization in 2004; Public support for the pro-Western shift; Putin's state visit to Great Britain, which highlights British foreign investments in Russia; Concerns of analysts over Russia's overdependence on oil and gas income; Russia's monopolies; How changes in laws have created millions of landowners; Expansion of personal incomes.

Discusses the likelihood that U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan will reduce the benchmark interest rate for the 13th time. Concerns of the Federal Reserve over the slow pace of economic expansion; Greenspan's approach; How economists and investors are divided over the size of the cut; Focus on encouraging business and consumer spending; Outlook for a rate cut despite positive economic indicators, including a rally in stock prices; Potential for deflation; Possibility that the economy is near a turning point.

Discusses the ability of Australia to continue its economic expansion while other industrialized countries struggle. Prediction that Australia's economy will expand by 3 percent in 2003; Observation that Australia has gone longer without a recession than at any time in its history and that it has exceeded the U.S.'s longest recorded expansion from 1991 to 2001; Speculation about the causes for the expansion; High levels of disposable income for residents in Australia; Concerns about how a war between the U.S. and Iraq could affect Australia.