The next installment of The Daily News’ ongoing seminar series will offer a comprehensive look at the state of the economy, with insight from a panel of thought leaders and a keynote from the chief economic strategist of Vining Sparks IBG LP.

2. US Factory Output Falls 0.4 Percent in April - Saturday, May 18, 2013

U.S. manufacturers cut back on production in April, as auto companies cranked out fewer cars, factories made fewer consumer goods and most other industries reduced output.

The weakness suggests economic growth may be slowing this spring.

3. US Consumer Prices Fall 0.4 Percent - Saturday, May 18, 2013

A plunge in the cost of gas drove down a measure of U.S. consumer prices last month by the most since December 2008. Excluding the drop in fuel costs, prices were largely unchanged.

The consumer price index fell 0.4 percent in April from March, the Labor Department said Thursday. The main reason the index fell was that gas prices plunged 8.1 percent.

4. US Consumer Prices Fall 0.4 Percent - Friday, May 17, 2013

A plunge in the cost of gas drove down a measure of U.S. consumer prices last month by the most since December 2008. Excluding the drop in fuel costs, prices were largely unchanged.

The consumer price index fell 0.4 percent in April from March, the Labor Department said Thursday. The main reason the index fell was that gas prices plunged 8.1 percent.

5. US Wholesale Prices Fall 0.7 Percent - Thursday, May 16, 2013

Sharp drops in fuel and food costs reduced a measure of U.S. wholesale prices in April by the most in three years. Outside those volatile categories, inflation stayed tame.

The producer price index, which measures price changes before they reach the consumer, fell a seasonally adjusted 0.7 percent in April from March, the Labor Department said Wednesday. It was the second straight monthly decline and the steepest since February 2010.

6. US Factory Output Falls 0.4 Percent in April - Thursday, May 16, 2013

U.S. manufacturers cut back on production in April, as auto companies cranked out fewer cars, factories made fewer consumer goods and most other industries reduced output. The weakness suggests economic growth may be slowing this spring.

7. Bernanke: Fed Increasing Financial Monitoring - Monday, May 13, 2013

The Federal Reserve has broadened its oversight beyond banks and now monitors a wide-range of financial institutions that could hasten another financial crisis, Chairman Ben Bernanke said Friday.

Bernanke said the Fed is still monitoring banks and other systematically important financial institutions. But it has widened its scope to include other important participants that could either trigger a crisis or make the system more vulnerable.

8. Outside Group Sends Warning to the Fed - Saturday, May 11, 2013

The Federal Advisory Council, a group of bankers that includes First Horizon National Corp. chairman and CEO Bryan Jordan and which advises the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, is concerned about several specific areas of the economy.

9. Outside Group Sends Warning to the Fed - Thursday, May 09, 2013

The Federal Advisory Council, a group of bankers that includes First Horizon National Corp. chairman and CEO Bryan Jordan and which advises the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, is concerned about several specific areas of the economy.

10. Employers Add 165,000 Jobs in April - Monday, May 06, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. economy showed last month why it remains the envy of industrialized nations: In the face of tax increases and federal spending cuts, employers added a solid 165,000 jobs in April – and far more in February and March than anyone thought.

11. US Trade Deficit Falls to $38.8 Billion in March - Friday, May 03, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. trade deficit narrowed in March for a second month as the daily flow of imported crude oil dropped to the lowest level in 17 years. The deficit with China hit a three-year low.

12. US Worker Productivity Rises 0.7 Percent in First Quarter - Friday, May 03, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. worker productivity barely grew from January through March after shrinking in the final three months of 2012. Weak productivity growth could prompt employers to hire more if consumers and businesses continue to increase spending.

13. Metropolitan Bank Earnings Up 43 Percent - Friday, May 03, 2013

Metropolitan Bank is starting off its fifth year by reporting another quarter of increased earnings – the 14th straight quarter in which that’s happened.

14. Fed Signals It Could Increase Stimulus - Thursday, May 02, 2013

The Federal Reserve is standing by its extraordinary efforts to stimulate the economy. And it signaled that it could increase or decrease the pace of bond purchases depending on how the job market and inflation perform.

15. Brighter View on Jobs and Pay Lifts US Confidence - Wednesday, May 01, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Americans are more optimistic the job market is healing and will deliver higher pay later this year. That brighter outlook, along with rising home prices, cheaper gasoline and a surging stock market, could offset some of the drag from the recent tax increases and government spending cuts.

16. Priced to Rent - Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Local property management companies like Lubin Property Management LLC and Renshaw Property Management are capitalizing on the trend for young potential homebuyers choosing to rent instead of buy.

17. Capital Requirement - Saturday, April 27, 2013

In early April, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., joined a handful of other senators in drafting a letter in part about new rules of the road governing bank capital requirements.

That letter was sent to Federal Reserve Gov. Daniel Tarullo, Comptroller of the Currency Thomas Curry and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Martin Gruenberg.

18. New-Homes Sales Rise 1.5 Percent in March to 417,000 - Wednesday, April 24, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. sales of new homes rose in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 417,000. The increase added to evidence of a sustained housing recovery at the start of the spring buying season.

19. Fed Survey: Housing, Auto Sales Lift US Economy - Thursday, April 18, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) — A strengthening housing recovery and robust auto sales contributed to moderate economic growth across the United States in late February and March, according to a Federal Reserve survey released Wednesday.

20. JPMorgan CEO: 'Work to Do' on Controls, Compliance - Monday, April 15, 2013

NEW YORK (AP) – Jamie Dimon, head of JPMorgan Chase, says that grappling with new regulations and strengthening internal controls are the bank's top priorities.

In a call with reporters Friday to discuss first-quarter earnings, he said that the bank would be aggressive in making changes, opting for quick decision-making over consensus building.

21. Minutes Show Fed Supports Stimulus Through Midyear - Thursday, April 11, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – A majority of Federal Reserve policymakers want to continue extraordinary bond purchases to help boost the U.S. economy at least through the middle of the year, according to minutes from the Fed's last meeting released Wednesday.

22. Oil Price Changes Little Ahead of Earnings, Fed Report - Tuesday, April 09, 2013

The price of oil was little changed on Monday, as traders awaited the start of the quarterly corporate earnings season and the latest word from the Federal Reserve on the economy.

Benchmark oil for May delivery was up 41 cents to $93.11 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange in afternoon trading.

23. Housing Huddle - Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Memphis Area Association of Realtors president Regina Hubbard got an unabashed response from the crowd at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre during the real estate group’s 2013 Residential Real Estate Summit.

24. Sales of New US Homes Slip 4.6 Percent in February - Wednesday, March 27, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Sales of new homes fell in February after climbing to the highest level in more than four years in January.

Sales of new homes dropped to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 411,000 in February, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. That is a decline of 4.6 percent from the January level of 431,000, which had been the strongest sales pace since September 2008.

25. Bank of Bartlett Continues Turnaround - Monday, March 25, 2013

The Federal Reserve Board has terminated a so-called “prompt corrective action” order for Bank of Bartlett that was released last year and which at the time asserted the bank was undercapitalized.

Bank of Bartlett president Harold Byrd said at the time the family-run bank was already on the mend and that the Fed’s order was based on outdated information. Without explanation, the Fed announced within the past week its order regarding Bank of Bartlett, dated Jan. 30 has been terminated.

26. Average for US Jobless Claims at Fresh 5-Year Low - Friday, March 22, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment aid barely changed last week, while the average over the past month fell to a fresh five-year low. The decline in layoffs is helping strengthen the job market.

27. Fed Stands by Stimulus, Sees Stronger US Economy - Thursday, March 21, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that the U.S. economy has strengthened after pausing late last year but still needs the Fed's extraordinary support to help lower high unemployment.

28. Look at the Facts, Not Rhetoric - Wednesday, March 20, 2013

CITE YOUR SOURCE. In human psychology, fear seems more legitimate than hope. Claims of “impending doom,” and “bursting bubbles” elicit fast emotional responses that seem impervious to critique. So many programs, speeches and advertisements prey on this phenomenon today.

29. Strong Auto Output Boosts US Factory Production - Monday, March 18, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – A strong increase in auto output boosted U.S. factory production last month, the latest sign that manufacturing is helping drive economic growth after lagging for much of 2012.

30. US Consumer Prices Increase 0.7 Percent - Monday, March 18, 2013

A spike in gas prices drove a measure of U.S. consumer costs up in February by the most in more than three years. But outside the gain in fuel costs, inflation was mostly modest.

The consumer price index increased a seasonally adjusted 0.7 percent last month from January, the Labor Department said Friday. It was the biggest monthly rise since June 2009.

31. Mortgage Activity Slows in February - Monday, March 18, 2013

Mortgage activity in Shelby County began 2013 by shifting into a higher gear, but someone tapped the brakes in February.

Total mortgage volume countywide had started the year showing double-digit percentage growth over the same period one year earlier. But in February, volume was up just 1 percent over the same month in 2012.

32. Fed Study Supports Community Banking - Friday, March 15, 2013

A new study out from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis underscores one reason most banks in the Memphis area are smaller, community institutions.

33. US Household Wealth Regains Pre-Recession Peak - Saturday, March 09, 2013

It took 5½ years.

Surging stock prices and steady home-price increases have finally allowed Americans to regain the $16 trillion in wealth they lost to the Great Recession. The gains are helping support the economy and could lead to further spending and growth.

34. US Consumer Debt Up $16.2 Billion in January - Friday, March 08, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Americans stepped up borrowing in January to buy cars and attend school, while staying cautious about using their credit cards.

Consumer borrowing rose $16.2 billion in January from December to a total of $2.8 trillion, the Federal Reserve said Thursday. That's the highest level on record.

35. US Household Wealth Regains Pre-Recession Peak - Friday, March 08, 2013

It took 5 1/2 years.

Surging stock prices and steady home-price increases have finally allowed Americans to regain the $16 trillion in wealth they lost to the Great Recession. The gains are helping support the economy and could lead to further spending and growth.

36. Yellen Defends Fed’s Low Interest Rate Policies - Tuesday, March 05, 2013

The No. 2 official at the Federal Reserve said Monday that she does not see any risks at the moment from the Federal Reserve’s low-interest rate policies that would prompt her to urge that the policies be curtailed.

37. Changing Times - Saturday, March 02, 2013

After a four-decade existence, the Morgan Keegan name has been retired.

The announcement Raymond James Financial Inc. is dropping the Morgan Keegan name was made during Raymond James’ first quarter earnings conference call last month. Raymond James CEO Paul Reilly was giving analysts listening to the call an update on the firm’s acquisition of the Memphis investment firm last year and its integration since then.

38. Opposing Forces Cause Swirling Economy - Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Remember Relative Value One by-product of the Federal Reserve’s loose monetary policy is the widespread positive returns that numerous asset classes have been able to experience. For instance, from March 9, 2009 (the closing low on the S&P 500), thru Dec. 31, 2012, the cumulative returns of the SPDR Barclays High Yield Bond ETF (JNK) and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) have been 128 percent and 127 percent, respectively. Whether your chosen investment was high-yield bonds or the 500 stocks in the S&P 500, returns have been identical since the bottom.

39. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Announces Changes - Saturday, February 23, 2013

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has announced some changes to its Memphis board.

Lisa McDaniel Hawkins, president of Room to Room in Tupelo, Miss., has been appointed to a three-year term on the board.

40. Blazing a Trail - Saturday, February 23, 2013

Susan Stephenson is one of the most accomplished and highly visible women in the Memphis business community. She is the co-founder of Independent Bank, the city’s second-largest bank as ranked by assets and one that largely steered clear of the mortgage mess that dogged competitors during the financial bust.

41. Fed Minutes Show Concerns About Bond Purchases - Thursday, February 21, 2013

Several Federal Reserve policymakers were concerned last month about the risks of the Fed’s efforts to boost the U.S. economy by keeping borrowing costs low for the foreseeable future.

Minutes of the Fed’s Jan. 29-30 policy meeting showed that some officials worried about the Fed’s monthly purchases of $85 billion a month in Treasurys and mortgage bonds. They expressed concern that the continued purchases could eventually escalate inflation, unsettle financial markets or cause the Fed to absorb losses once it begins selling its investment holdings.

42. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Announces Changes to Memphis Board - Wednesday, February 20, 2013

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis has announced some changes to its Memphis board.

Lisa McDaniel Hawkins, president of Room to Room in Tupelo, Miss., has been appointed to a three-year term on the board.

43. US Factory Output Falls on Weak Auto Production - Monday, February 18, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. factories slowed production in January after two solid months of cranking out goods. The weakness mainly reflected a big drop in output at auto factories that is likely temporary.

44. Expert: Memphis Has Big Story to Tell - Monday, February 11, 2013

Memphis area commercial real estate brokers were not only brought up to speed on the latest numbers and trends Thursday, Feb. 7, at the Memphis Area Association of Realtors Commercial Property Forecast Summit – they were also briefed on how to tweak their marketing strategy to recruit business by a former executive with the Federal Reserve.

45. Let’s Start a Currency War - Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Prior to Nixon’s closing of the gold window in 1971, world currencies traded in value relative to the U.S. dollar, which was tethered to gold at $35 an ounce. Following the divorce, currencies began trading relative to the dollar, but the dollar in turn began trading relative to other currencies.

46. Mayor, Banks Revive Program Targeting City’s Unbanked - Monday, February 04, 2013

It started with a letter. More than two dozen of them, actually. Bankers from around Memphis got a missive from Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Jr. in 2010 that solicited help from bankers like Joe DiNicolantonio, West Tennessee area president for Regions Bank.

47. Real Estate Leaders to Present Trends at Forecast - Saturday, February 02, 2013

Real estate leaders will offer their reviews and insights for the Memphis-area commercial market at the 10th annual Commercial Property Forecast Summit starting at 8 a.m. Feb. 7 at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre, 1801 Exeter Road.

48. Lender Processing Paying $121 Million to Resolve Claims - Friday, February 01, 2013

One of the biggest U.S. mortgage processing companies has agreed to pay $121 million to resolve states' claims that it wrongfully foreclosed on homeowners who should have been allowed to stay in their homes.

49. Fed Says Growth Pause Temporary, Keeps Up Stimulus - Thursday, January 31, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that the U.S. economy "paused" in recent months because of temporary factors and reaffirmed its commitment to try to stimulate growth by keeping borrowing cheap for the foreseeable future.

50. Real Estate Leaders to Present Trends at Forecast Summit - Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Real estate leaders will offer their reviews and insights for the Memphis-area commercial market at the 10th annual Commercial Property Forecast Summit starting at 8 a.m. Feb. 7 at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre, 1801 Exeter Road.

51. Why Geithner's Treasury Leadership Proved Divisive - Friday, January 25, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama has saluted the outgoing Timothy Geithner as one of the best U.S. Treasury secretaries ever. He's surely been among the most contentious.

Not since the Great Depression had an administration inherited so many grave financial threats at once. To many, Geithner deserves credit for helping steady the banking system and helping restore investor confidence. Yet his toughest critics say Geithner's policies consistently favored big banks over ordinary struggling Americans.

52. HSBC to Pay $249 Million to Settle Foreclosure-Abuse Case - Monday, January 21, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – British bank HSBC will pay $249 million to settle federal complaints that its U.S. division wrongfully foreclosed on homeowners who should have been allowed to stay in their homes.

53. Transcripts Show Fed Underestimated Crisis in 2007 - Monday, January 21, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal Reserve officials in 2007 underestimated the scope of the approaching financial crisis and how it would tip the U.S. economy into the worst recession since the Great Depression, transcripts of the Fed's policy meetings that year show.

54. US Consumer Prices Unchanged in December - Saturday, January 19, 2013

Lower gas costs offset more expensive food and higher rents to keep a measure of U.S. consumer prices flat last month.

The Labor Department said Wednesday that food prices increased 0.2 percent in December from November. Rents and airline fares also rose. Gasoline prices fell a seasonally adjusted 2.3 percent.

55. Fed Survey: US Economy Picked Up at End of Year - Thursday, January 17, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Holiday shopping, strong auto sales and a recovering housing market helped boost the U.S. economy from the middle of November through early January, according to a Federal Reserve survey released Wednesday.

56. US Consumer Prices Unchanged in December - Thursday, January 17, 2013

Lower gas costs offset more expensive food and higher rents to keep a measure of U.S. consumer prices flat last month.

The Labor Department said Wednesday that food prices increased 0.2 percent in December from November. Rents and airline fares also rose. Gasoline prices fell a seasonally adjusted 2.3 percent.

57. Shelby County Home Sales Up 19 Percent in 2012 - Monday, January 14, 2013

Shelby County had the most home sales recorded in 2012 since 2008 when the housing market started drastically declining.

There were 14,946 home sales last year, up 19 percent from 12,600 unit sales during 2011, according to real estate information company Chandler Reports, www.chandlerreports.com. And industry professionals say the outlook for 2013 is continued modest improvement.

58. Oil Falls as Uncertainty Hits Energy Markets - Saturday, January 12, 2013

The price of oil fell Monday, hit by uncertainty about what the U.S. Federal Reserve might do with its bond purchase program and data showing the U.S. unemployment rate unchanged.

By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark crude for February delivery was down 44 cents to $92.65 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

59. Federal Reserve Pays Government $88.9 Billion - Saturday, January 12, 2013

The Federal Reserve paid the federal government a record $88.9 billion in 2012. The central bank earned the money from the Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities it has purchased to drive interest rates lower and boost the economy.

60. Federal Reserve Pays Government $88.9 Billion - Friday, January 11, 2013

The Federal Reserve paid the federal government a record $88.9 billion in 2012.

The central bank earned the money from the Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities it has purchased to drive interest rates lower and boost the economy.

61. US Consumer Debt Rises on More Car, School Loans - Wednesday, January 09, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. consumers borrowed more in November to buy cars and attend school, but stayed cautious with their credit cards.

The Federal Reserve said Tuesday that consumers increased their borrowing in November by $16 billion from October to a seasonally adjusted record of $2.77 trillion.

62. Oil Falls as Uncertainty Hits Energy Markets - Tuesday, January 08, 2013

The price of oil fell Monday, hit by uncertainty about what the U.S. Federal Reserve might do with its bond purchase program and data showing the U.S. unemployment rate unchanged.

By early afternoon in Europe, benchmark crude for February delivery was down 44 cents to $92.65 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

63. Banks to Pay $8.5 Billion for Foreclosure Abuse - Tuesday, January 08, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Ten major banks agreed Monday to pay $8.5 billion to settle federal complaints that they wrongfully foreclosed on homeowners who should have been allowed to stay in their homes.

64. Fed Minutes Show Some Concerns on Bond Purchases - Friday, January 04, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal Reserve policymakers expressed broad support last month for the Fed's plan to buy bonds to support the U.S. economy. But they differed over how long to keep buying bonds to drive down long-term interest rates.

65. Fewer US Banks Fail as Industry Strengthens - Wednesday, January 02, 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. banks ended 2012 with their best profits since 2006 and fewer failures than at any time since the financial crisis struck in 2008. They're helping support an economy slowed by high unemployment, flat pay, sluggish manufacturing and anxious consumers.

66. US Mortgage Rates Decline to Near-Record Lows - Monday, December 31, 2012

The average rate on the U.S. 30-year fixed mortgage last week dipped closer to the lowest on record, a trend that is making home buying more affordable and also enabling more Americans to refinance their loans.

67. US Economy Grew at Rate of 3.1 Percent in Summer - Monday, December 24, 2012

The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 3.1 percent over the summer as exports increased, consumers spent more and state and local governments added to growth for the first time in three years. But the economy is likely slowing in the current quarter.

68. Cash In on Cashing Out - Wednesday, December 19, 2012

While we may not know the details of next year’s tax increases, we do know that taxes will increase. This has created a rush of year-end tax planning to sell assets, issue dividends and claw compensation forward. In fact, hundreds of public companies have announced special dividends to pad investor’s pockets before year-end.

69. US Manufacturing Output Rises 1.1 Percent in November - Monday, December 17, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. factories rebounded in November from Superstorm Sandy, boosting production of cars, equipment and appliances. But after factoring out the impact from the storm, the broader trend in manufacturing remained weak.

70. Fed: High Unemployment for Next Three Years - Saturday, December 15, 2012

The Federal Reserve projects the unemployment rate will stay elevated until late 2015, suggesting it will keep short-term interest rates low for the next three years.

The latest economic forecasts released Wednesday after the Fed’s final meeting of the year were little changed from September. But they coincided with a new communication strategy announced by the Fed that links future interest rate hikes with unemployment below 6.5 percent.

71. Cheaper Gas Lowers Consumer Prices 0.3 Percent - Monday, December 17, 2012

A steep fall in gas costs pushed down a measure of U.S. consumer prices last month, keeping inflation mild.

The seasonally adjusted consumer price index dropped 0.3 percent in November from October, the Labor Department said Friday. Gas prices fell 7.4 percent, the biggest drop in nearly four years. That offset a 0.2 percent rise in food prices.

72. Fed: High Unemployment For Next Three Years - Thursday, December 13, 2012

The Federal Reserve projects the unemployment rate will stay elevated until late 2015, suggesting it will keep short-term interest rates low for the next three years.

The latest economic forecasts released Wednesday after the Fed’s final meeting of the year were little changed from September. But they coincided with a new communication strategy announced by the Fed that links future interest rate hikes with unemployment below 6.5 percent.

73. Congress Looks at Doing Away With the $1 Bill - Monday, December 03, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – American consumers have shown about as much appetite for the $1 coin as kids do their spinach. They may not know what's best for them either. Congressional auditors say doing away with dollar bills entirely and replacing them with dollar coins could save taxpayers some $4.4 billion over the next 30 years.

74. Triumph Bank Reports 15th Straight Profit - Monday, December 03, 2012

Triumph Bank has enjoyed one of the most consistent success stories among Memphis-area community banks.

Triumph, which was founded in 2005, has reported its 15th straight quarterly profit, meaning even 2008’s Great Recession was not enough to ding Triumph’s prospects.

75. US Economy Grew at 2.7 Percent Rate in Summer - Friday, November 30, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. economy grew at a 2.7 percent annual rate from July through September, much faster than first thought. The strength is expected to fade in the final months of the year because of the impact of Superstorm Sandy and uncertainty about looming tax increases and government spending cuts.

76. Federal Reserve Survey: US Economy Growing at Steady Pace - Thursday, November 29, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – A pickup in consumer spending and steady home sales helped lift economic growth in October and early November in most parts of the United States, according to a Federal Reserve survey released Wednesday. The one exception was the Northeast, which was slowed by Superstorm Sandy.

77. 30-Year Mortgage Rate Hits Record 3.31 Percent - Monday, November 26, 2012

Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages fell to fresh record lows last week, a trend that is boosting home sales and aiding the housing recovery.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Wednesday, Nov. 21, that the average rate on the 30-year loan dipped to 3.31 percent, the lowest on records dating back to 1971.

78. Fewer Seek Jobless Aid as Storm Distorts Data - Monday, November 26, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment benefits fell sharply to a seasonally adjusted 410,000, though the figure was elevated for the second straight week by Superstorm Sandy.

79. Bank Profits Shrink in Third Quarter - Monday, November 26, 2012

Memphis-area banks on the whole were a lot less profitable at the end of the third quarter than they were during the same period in 2011.

The two dozen or so banks in the Memphis market reported a little more than $12 million in year-to-date net income at the end of the third quarter, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. That’s a big drop from the $136.3 million in year-to-date net income the same banks collectively reported in the third quarter of 2011.

80. Bernanke Warns Congress to Avoid ‘Fiscal Cliff’ - Thursday, November 22, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Tuesday urged Congress and the Obama administration to strike a budget deal to avert tax increases and spending cuts that could trigger a recession next year.

81. Sandy, Budget Worries Hold Back US Factory Output - Monday, November 19, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. factory production of machinery and equipment fell sharply last month, held back by temporary disruptions caused by Superstorm Sandy and companies' fears that a federal budget crisis could trigger a recession next year.

82. Bernanke: Banks’ Standards Hurting Economy - Friday, November 16, 2012

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says banks’ overly tight lending standards may be holding back the U.S. economy by preventing creditworthy borrowers from buying homes.

Bernanke says some tightening of credit standards was needed after the 2008 financial crisis. But he says “the pendulum has swung too far the other way.” He says some qualified borrowers are being prevented from getting home loans.

83. US Rate on 30-Year Mortgage Hits Record 3.34 Percent - Friday, November 16, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages fell to fresh record lows this week, a trend that has helped the housing market start to recover this year.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac says that the average rate on the 30-year loan dipped to 3.34 percent, the lowest on records dating back to 1971. That's down from 3.40 percent last week and the previous record low of 3.36 percent reached last month.

84. Fed Minutes Suggest New Bond-Buying Plan is Likely - Thursday, November 15, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Federal Reserve will likely announce a new bond buying program in December to try to spur job growth.

The purchases would be intended to lower long-term borrowing rates to encourage spending and strengthen the economy. The hope is that more hiring would follow.

85. US Wholesale Prices Fell 0.2 Percent in October - Thursday, November 15, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Wholesale prices fell in October as a big drop in gasoline and other energy prices offset a rise in the cost of food.

Wholesale prices dipped 0.2 percent last month, the Labor Department said Wednesday. It was the first decline since May and followed big gains of 1.1 percent in September and 1.7 percent in August, increases that had been driven by spikes in energy.

86. Shelby County Mortgages Up in October - Wednesday, November 14, 2012

The Federal Reserve has signaled its intent to buy mortgage-backed securities for much of the near future to try and goose the economy, which means mortgage rates are liable to keep skating along the bottom, as they are now.

87. Optimism Finds Way Into Local Banks, Financial Institutions - Monday, November 12, 2012

Here’s a look at what’s going on in the world of finance, and the ways it’s all affecting Memphis.

First up, to quote the Bard, “But soft: what light through yonder window breaks?”

88. Expert: Investors Confound Housing - Monday, November 12, 2012

The role of investor-driven neighborhoods in Memphis is growing, and the impact on different kinds of neighborhoods is largely unstudied and unknown.

For instance, what does it mean that going into 2012, 54 percent of residential property sales were accounted for by investor purchases from the Real Estate Owned (REO) inventory of foreclosing lenders?

89. More Student Loans Boost Consumer Credit $11.4 Billion - Thursday, November 08, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Americans took out more student and auto loans in September to boost consumer borrowing to a record level. But they cut back on credit card borrowing, a sign many remain cautious about taking on high-interest debt.

90. Voices of the Past - Thursday, November 01, 2012

A new crop of historical markers and monuments is sprouting across the city in a move by several groups to broaden the span of the city’s recognized history.

Last week the UrbanArt Commission formally dedicated a statue by artist Vinnie Bagwell in Chickasaw Heritage Park that is the image of a Native American woman. Her sculpted cloak bears images from some of the history that followed the Native Americans who built the ceremonial mounds in the park around 1500 A.D.

91. US New-Home Sales Rise to Highest in 2 1/2 Years - Thursday, October 25, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. sales of new homes jumped last month to the highest level in more than two years, further evidence of a sustained housing recovery that could help lift the lackluster economy.

92. Fed Cites Moderate US Growth, Takes no new Action - Thursday, October 25, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two weeks before a U.S. election focused on the economy, the Federal Reserve said Wednesday that its help is still needed to increase growth and lower unemployment.

The Fed took no action after a two-day policy meeting. It wants time to assess whether the aggressive steps it launched in September will help the economy.

93. Buffett Says US Economy Still Inching Ahead - Thursday, October 25, 2012

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Billionaire investor Warren Buffett said Wednesday that the global economy is definitely slowing because of continued problems in Europe and the decline in Asia.

But he said that the U.S. economy is still improving modestly and business will improve regardless of who wins the presidential election.

94. Fed Likely to Send Wait-and-See Signal at Meeting - Wednesday, October 24, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — Six weeks ago, the Federal Reserve unveiled its latest plan to invigorate the U.S. economy. This week, the Fed will likely send a simple message:

Give that plan time to work.

95. Regions Financial Shares Drop as Yields Shrink - Wednesday, October 24, 2012

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Regions Financial Corp. on Tuesday posted sharply higher third-quarter earnings, as the regional bank set aside less cash to cover loan losses. But its shares fell sharply in morning trading after the results showed record-low interest rates cut into interest income from loan and deposits.

96. Weak Earnings Reports Pummel Stocks - Wednesday, October 24, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) — Nobody was expecting this round of corporate earnings reports to be great. But companies' underwhelming results are still rattling investors.

Stocks plunged Tuesday in one of the worst days on Wall Street this year. Big-name companies reported weak quarterly revenue and lowered their forecasts for the rest of the year.

97. Retirement Worries Grow; 30-Somethings Most Uneasy - Tuesday, October 23, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — Younger Americans in their late 30s are now the group most likely to doubt they will be financially secure after retirement, a major shift from three years ago when baby boomers nearing retirement age expressed the greatest worry.

98. After Pandit, a Smaller Citigroup Could Get Smaller Yet - Thursday, October 18, 2012

NEW YORK (AP) – The incredible shrinking bank may have to shrink more.

In the hours after Tuesday's surprise announcement that Citigroup CEO Vikram Pandit was stepping down, speculation was rife, and facts scant, about what lay ahead for the nation's third-largest bank.

99. US Housing Construction Jumps to 4-Year High - Thursday, October 18, 2012

U.S. builders started construction on homes in September at the fastest rate since July 2008 and made plans to build even more homes in the coming months. The gains show the housing recovery is strengthening and could help the economy grow.

100. More Expensive Gas Pushes US Consumer Prices Up - Wednesday, October 17, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – Higher gas costs drove up U.S. consumer prices in September for the second straight month. Outside energy, there was little sign of inflation.

The Labor Department said Tuesday that the consumer price index rose a seasonally adjusted 0.6 percent last month, matching the August increase. In the past 12 months, prices have increased 2 percent. That's in line with the Federal Reserve's inflation target.