OZY: The Real Costs of a Government Shutdown

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Two years ago, inside Washington’s Beltway, bars extended happy hours, drinks flowed plentifully and furloughed government workers cheerfully toasted one another. The scene was a result of an impasse in Congress over spending, and when it was all over, everyone went back to work — while, according to ratings agency Standard & Poor’s, costs totaled some $24 billion in lost output across the economy. Even worse: The government saved zilch because workers were given back pay for the time they were at home (or in the bar).

Legislators in Washington appeared to be headed for a similar showdown this week, until the White House and congressional leaders reached a tentative deal to raise the $18.1 trillion federal debt limit.

Read more here.

U.S. News: 6 Reasons to be Bullish on Stocks

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Believe it or not, there are still reasons to be bullish on stocks, and not just because pundits keep showing their angst on business TV. (They are often wrong.) Here are some key points for investors to consider.

World economic growth should improve. Forget the idea that the world economy is about to come to a standstill because China hit a bump in the road. Growth is picking up, says Jeffrey Kleintop, chief global investment strategist at Charles Schwab & Co. in Boston.

Read more here.

TheStreet: 5 Reasons the Fed's Economic Progress Is Painfully Slow

By SIMON CONSTABLE

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- It should be clear by now that the Federal Reserve is making slow progress toward its dual goals of keeping prices stable and achieving full employment.

Here are five of the biggest reasons the central bank, whose monetary policy committee is meeting this week, is falling short:

Forbes: How To Be The Worst Boss Possible -- Part 1

By SIMON CONSTABLE

Part one of a continuing series. If you aren’t cut out for management, why be just mediocre when with a little more effort you can be truly awful?

Here are some tips.

TheStreet: Is the Fed Putting the 'Chapel of Love' Out of Business?

By SIMON CONSTABLE

The chime of wedding bells is becoming rarer and rarer, and it may be the Federal Reserve's fault.

While many young couples choose to get married solely for love, the cost of acquiring a family home can cool their passion, according to a recent study. The effect is a depressing one. 

"A higher housing-cost burden in a county is associated with a lower marriage rate," according to a paper from the Eastern Economic Journal titled " Bricks, Mortar, and Wedding Bells: Does the Cost of Housing Affect the Marriage Rate in the U.S.?" Read more here.

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

TheStreet: Yes, the Dollar Can Buy Love -- And It's About to Buy Even More

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Brace yourselves: The dollar is set to surge once again. 

That's because while there are questions about the strength of the U.S. economy, there's no question that the rest of the world is in an even worse state. 

Read more here.

U.S. News & World Report: How to Buy Stocks When the Dollar is Strong

By SIMON CONSTABLE

The greenback is looking strong, but there's no reason to believe that it can't get even stronger. If it does, then it will have an impact on your investments. Here's why it matters and some key things you need to know.

"It's the kind of thing that Americans don't think about much unless they travel overseas," says Eddy Elfenbein, a Washington, D.C.-based private investor and author of the influential Crossing Wall Street blog. But when the dollar is strong, it does change the way various types of investments perform. "It's like putting a magnet near a compass," he says. Read more here.

Photo by Timis Alexandra on Unsplash