Thursday, April 2, 2009

Rising Oil Prices, Unemployment, Stock Markets, and Hope

Oil jumps above $52 on stock market gains

NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices surged nearly 8 percent Thursday as investors shrugged off a jump in unemployment and focused instead on rising stock markets and the hope that the U.S. economy has finally bottomed out.

Forget rising oil prices and rising unemployment. Focus instead on the rising stock markets and hope. Meanwhile, I'll continue to sit over here on the sidelines.

In other news, my girlfriend was laid off today from a recession-resistant not-for-profit healthcare provider today.

March 31, 2009

Spokane Shriners hospital may close

Providence Health Care, which employs some 8,400 people in the Spokane area, said recently it may lay off employees at its Eastern Washington hospitals as the number of unpaid medical bills climbs and budget projections worsen.

...

Hospitals are beginning to see the aftershocks of rising unemployment, which is 9.7 percent in Spokane County. As the number of jobless increases, so does the number of uninsured patients.


April 3, 2008
Recession Resistant Jobs

So, it's not surprising that healthcare is considered one of the most recession resistant industries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than half of the 30 fastest growing jobs are in medical fields.

Any thoughts on what a depression-resistant job might be? I'd like to be able to offer my girlfriend some of this hope that's become so popular lately.

And lastly, I can't seem to resist the joke. They say it is a recession when others lose their jobs but a depression when you lose yours.

Welcome to the Depression.

3 comments:

  1. I am sorry to hear about your girlfriend's job loss. The bad news just keeps coming, and it seems that no one is entirely unaffected.

    I wish I had some fantastic advice for her, but it seems that lately I am as stunned at how bad things are getting as anyone else. And this from a depression "early adopter!"

    Good luck to you both - stay close and try not to let the unrelenting bad news (both local and national/world) affect your personal relationship. Make a real effort to support each other emotionally as we head into God-knows-what this spring and summer.

    ReplyDelete
  2. threetorches,

    And this from a depression "early adopter!"

    US Stocks Higher, Led By Financial Sector
    http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20090401-711538.html

    As 2009's second quarter gets underway, the timing of a possible recovery in the U.S. economy remains a paramount concern for investors.

    So much for the theory that the casino is closed and that we've all permanently changed our mindsets.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This article makes me think of this quote, "Seasonal unemployment was found to be a state which does not have much employment, for example, rural areas."

    But there are career experts who conduct seminars giving concrete advice about the needed skills to compete in today's competitive job market.

    ReplyDelete