Who Says Inflation Is Under Control

Consumer late payments at 16 year high. Could higher prices at the grocery check-out and at the fuel pump be putting the squeeze on our wallets?

Unemployment claims at there highest level in two years.

ATA Airlines shuts down stranding thousands and laying off 2,000. The cost of fuel was listed as one of the primary causes. Last week Aloha Airlines also shut-down operations.

Corn sets new record price of $6 per bushel. At least our all-knowing government officials tell us that inflation is under control.

Gasoline at new national record. Even with oil backing off there peaks, the cost of refined gasoline is starting its summer rise. Every spring refiners increase their crack spread (the mark-up on gasoline) to reflect the increase in demand. This process has just started.

Motorola disconnecting 2,600 more. Last year they had lay offs of 3,500 in January and 4,000 in May. During a cutting stretch in 2000 and 2001 their payroll shrank by more than 47,000 jobs.

Google planning to cut 25% in the Double-Click work force, in the U.S. that is.

Dell needs to find $3 billion more in cuts than the 8,800 they announced last year. From my article last July.

Merrill Lynch to lay off 4,000 to 7,000.

Schering-Plough will be cutting $1.5 billion a year in expenses, no estimate on how many jobs will be lost. Schering-Plough shares are down about 50 percent this year so heads have to roll.

Are you ready to pay for the poor Home Builders losses? Time to E-mail your congressmen.

NASA estimates as many as 7,300 will loose their jobs as the shuttle program ends in the next 2 ½ years.

La-Z-Boy is shipping jobs to Mexico, all of their cut and sew divisions will be relocated with no lay off estimates given.

Hamiliton Sundstrand will be completing its move to Singapore by lying off the last 65.

United Way officials in Dayton said record numbers of families are seeking emergency food assistance because of lay offs caused by the strike at Detroit-based American Axle & Manufacturing. My article: American Axle Moving More Jobs Out Of The U.S.

CBS Moves Ahead With Layoffs in News

1,500 Possible Layoffs at Freightliner Cleveland Plant. My previous article: Freightliner The Long Haul From North Carolina To Mexico

From the CoStar web site that monitors the Fed’s watch list:

The Federal Reserve Banks moved up the planned closing of several of its check processing facilities, most of the cuts will come from permanent result work reductions.

Newsweek announced that 111 staffers on its news and business sides in New York City accepted a buyout last week.

Chromcraft Revington Inc. is progressively shifting manufacturing of products from its Delphi, IN, plant at 1100 N. Washington St. to suppliers primarily in Asia. Manufacturing activities at the Delphi facility will conclude on May 30. The reduction in force is expected to impact approximately 150 Associates at the Delphi location. Within the past 18 months, the company has closed and sold its plants in Sumter, SC, and Warrenton, NC, as well as its warehouse and distribution center in Knoxville, TN. The company also relocated its upholstery operations into its existing facilities in Lincolnton, NC, and sold its upholstery plant.

EMI Christian Music Group confirms layoffs of between 1,500 to 2,000 staffers by this June.

Long-expected layoffs begin at W.Va. steel mill, from a peak of 13,000 to 1,000 after these latest cuts. Steel mills have been devastated throughout the northeast by Asian steel and like most of the problems facing America; all the politicians do is use this issue as political fodder.

Earlier this week, Wheeling-Pitt's parent, Esmark Inc., announced it would shut down a mill in Allenport, Pa., and idle parts of the operation in Martins Ferry, Ohio. Those cuts could cost as many as 360 jobs.

Analysts see 200,000 banking industry layoffs in the next 18 months.

Whirlpool, a great old Mexican brand. 350 Cleveland jobs go to Mexico. Behr Climate Systems plans layoffs, plant closure. From the Germany based Behr Groups web site: “Today we are active in all major markets in Asia and take advantage of the opportunities they offer.”