Word: price
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...Boston University professor Ellen Ruppel Shell argues that the allure of low prices is leading us astray: in their bid to drive down costs, big-box stores have kept the salaries and benefits for their employees to a bare minimum; fashion retailers have prioritized price over style and quality, often using their outlet stores to hawk a completely different line of merchandise. Finally, what kind of bottomless plate of scampi do you really think 15 bucks can buy? In her new book, Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture, Shell argues that our never-ending pursuit of cheap has blighted...
...housing market is that more homes are selling. The number of existing homes sold in May was 2.4% higher than the number sold in April, which itself was higher than the number sold in March. (Those figures, from the National Association of Realtors, are annualized and seasonally adjusted.) Yes, prices are still falling, thanks largely to foreclosures and short sales, but at least the market is starting to show signs of life. New data from the S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city home-price index indicate that home prices in April dropped less than they did in March, when compared with...
...luck in La Jolla. Of course, what houses are selling for is a whole other question. Homes in those 20 least-expensive zips average sale pries are down 30%, while the high-end areas only saw an average drop of 12%. An uptick in sales hasn't affected all price points evenly - but in certain ways, maybe that's a good thing...
Saying energy prices would stay high was one of the great forecasting errors of the late 1970s and early '80s--so it's a little scary to predict that they will stay high this time around. But the fact that even the slightest hint of a turnaround in the global economy has sent oil prices skyrocketing from $35 a barrel to more than $70 ought to be a sign that the upward price cycle that started a decade ago isn't played out yet. The crucial element may be that the struggling U.S. no longer drives the global demand cycle...
...battle for the shrinking pool of tourists, naturally, is good news for anyone touring. Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam have cut visa fees and worked with airlines, hotels and tourist sites to slash prices. Caribbean operators say deep price cuts have been essential to keeping the region in people's minds during the turmoil. Some Caribbean resorts have cut prices in half. "We're hoping that these deals will never have to see the light of day again," says Hugh Riley, secretary general of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, the body representing the travel interests of 32 nations in the region...