GDP

Amazon plays by its own rules -- and the online retail giant usually wins. Check out this infographic by blogger FrugalDad that gives you a peek at who you're paying when you opt for the Free SuperSaver Shipping.

Obese people do not just risk their own health; their health problems cripple the economy. GDP would be given a boost if the number of fat people fell sharply. The Obama administration has not made an attack on obesity part of its stimulus program. Maybe it should.

It's true that the U.S. has racked up the largest debt of any developed country. But when you consider the debt in relation to the country's gross domestic product, it's only No. 7 on the list, according to Fortune. Here's what you need to know to make sense of all the numbers.

Foreclosure activity picked up by 4% in June, and economic problems which include high unemployment and falling homes prices will drive it relentlessly higher. That's bad news for homeowners, but the ripple effect from foreclosures goes beyond their immediate problems, and it will get much worse.

The Shanghai Composite is as close to a proxy for public firms in China as investors can get, and indexes are believed to reflect where markets think a nation's economy is headed. So what does it mean that, despite China's white-hot growth, the Shanghai Composite has been seriously lagging the S&P 500?

Despite turbulent times, U.S. markets are rising again. But is this a temporary bump, or the return of a bull market? The sharp-eyed analysts of Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs say its the latter, and their money is on strong growth ahead.

Oracle, Discover and Tiffany are all expected to report year-over-year growth for their most recent quarters this week. Meanwhile, many will be looking for an updated snapshot of the housing market, with three sets of real-estate data coming out.

The U.S. services sector is growing strong, providing additional evidence that the U.S. economy is recovering and might not need more stimulus funding. But that's contingent upon oil staying below $120 per barrel.

Economists and commentators talk why initial jobless claims need to falling below the 400,000 level. But exactly why is that number significant for the U.S. economy and investors? Here's the lowdown, based on the past performance of jobless claims and economic growth.

And that means it may be time for owners of gas-thirsty SUVs and cars to start considering the switch so many Americans are loath to make: to a far more fuel-efficient vehicle. Looking out over the next several years, it's hard to see oil -- and gasoline -- falling back to earlier lows.