Corporate profits rise in 2003

[JoFerret]

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/business/business-economy.html

Profits up, jobs down

<<<Corporate profits posted a second straight double-digit annual gain in 2003, the Commerce Department said on Thursday, but a lackluster job market suggests companies remain hesitant to hire.

<snip>
The Commerce Department said after-tax corporate profits rose 7.6 percent in the fourth quarter, a slowdown from the 10.1 percent gain in the third quarter. For all of 2003, the department said after-tax profits were up a hefty 19.2 percent. That was down, however, from 2002's 24.6 percent increase.

The department also said a price index for personal spending outside of food and energy was revised upward, to a 1.2 percent annual rate from a previously reported 0.7 percent pace.
...

It was the first time since 1996 and 1997 that U.S. companies have enjoyed back-to-back double-digit annual profits, the department said.

In a separate report, the Labor Department said new claims for jobless benefits rose by 1,000 to 339,000 in the week ended March 20. That was slightly above economists' projections.

<more>

[mhr]

1. On The Backs Of The Unemployed And Outsourced Jobs!

eom

[tandot]

2. Poor and unemployed people who are still supporting Bush are

beyond my comprehension.

How many more news articles like that does it take to convince them that the economy under Republicans just outright sucks. Companies make a huge profit and get huge tax cuts, but refuse to hire workers.

[Heyo]

3. The unemployed people....

Are less than 6 percent of the population... alot of them possibly don't vote...

What is the precentage of registereed ?.. and what is the average voter turn out for presidential election in percent of toptal us pop.?

.. if anyone knows off hand..

just curious

Heyo

[w4rma]

8. More unemployed = more competition for jobs = smaller salaries/wages (nt)

[havocmom]

4. Obscene

While I don't like Stern, he is not obscene, just tasteless.

When the deficit is soaring, workers/middle class are sinking it is obscene that corporate profits are this high.

When regulations to protect environment and workers are being scaled back by government policy written in secret by corporate leaders it is obscene and fascism.

[Cocoa]

5. time to outlaw overtime

and undermine unions, and outsource jobs. These things are just killing corporate America.

[teryang]

6. Borrow money, make acquisitions, fire employees

The sure fire way to increase profits on paper.

[rawstory]

7. Oh great

Funny, isn't it, how corporate profits rise and not the number of jobs?

[74dodgedart]

9. Don't worry, it will "trickle down"

</sarcasm>