Disclaimer: For those of you who are accustomed to watching the “news” channels that specialize in anger-tainment, the uplifting items you are about to read could cause heart palpitations, night sweats, and fatigue. If you have been conditioned to subsist on a steady diet of outrage, gloom and doom, you may want to step outside and enjoy a nature break.
Item # 1: At the pumps, gas prices (based on the national average) are down $1.50 per gallon from one year ago. Diesel prices are down almost two dollars. This defies predictions made earlier this year by experts and regular folks alike. If you’ve traveled more than a few miles from home recently, you’ve probably been in a traffic jam. Folks are back on the road, enjoying vacations. The beaches, the hotels and the condos are packed this summer.
Item # 2: Egg prices have dropped dramatically from six months ago. At the peak of the bird flu crisis and with inflated fuel prices, we had to shell out around five bucks for a dozen eggs. Last week I paid under a dollar at two different stores. For protein fans who have long been accustomed to a quick, cheap and easy breakfast, this is welcome news.
Item # 3: Our economy continues to crank out jobs. This is the 29th straight month of positive job growth. Unemployment is reaching lows unseen since 1969. Wages are up 4 percent from last year.
Item # 4: The stock market is up. Despite predictions of an economic downturn, the S & P index (which tracks the stock performance of the nation’s 500 largest companies) is on its longest winning streak in years. Inflation has cooled off, and indicators seem to be heading in the right direction.
Item # 5: Retail sales are up. Again defying experts who predicted a decrease, Americans spent 0.3% more last month in stores, restaurants, and online. During my recent visit to a home improvement store, I had to circle around to find a parking space, and the aisles were jammed with shoppers.
Item # 6: The number of Americans hospitalized with COVID-19 has fallen to a record low. Emergency rooms are no longer overcrowded, and the strict visiting protocols have been relaxed.
Item # 7: Attendance at large public events (baseball games, concerts, and outdoor festivals) is up. Many of them are sold out. In 2020 it was not uncommon for these events to be canceled or played to cardboard cutouts of people’s faces.
Item # 8: Vehicle prices could finally be going down. United Buyers Service estimates that global car production will soon exceed sales by 6%, leaving an excess of 5 million vehicles that will require price cuts to get sold. Although prices may not drop until later this year, automakers are preparing for a price war.
Now let’s review. Despite these good signs, are all our problems suddenly solved? Definitely not. Gas prices could spike during weather emergencies, not to mention the whims of the Saudi Arabians. The stock market is volatile. Viruses come and go. The prices of many goods haven’t dropped like those of dear old eggs. Sheer greed has helped drive up inflation. Businesses can’t find people willing to work. There is a lack of affordable housing. The political divide is getting uglier.
The truth is, when the economy goes bad, the negative news spreaders are overjoyed. For them, it’s good for business. Plus, many of our elected officials gladly accept political gain over much needed financial relief for their constituents.
That’s why there are so many who choose to ignore the good news I have shared. Not me. I am happy to share these positive little secrets.
I’m with you, David. But, then, I would be!
Keep spreading the word, David.