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productivity

U.S. workers are far, far more productive than their Chinese counterparts -- mostly because we have a big head start on automation. And when you combine lower productivity with the rising wages that Chinese laborers now demand, you get what may be the recipe for the rebirth of American manufacturing.
Waiting for the cable guy, the Internet guy, or the air conditioner guy are tedious life necessities, like doing laundry or visiting the in-laws. But they are vastly more expensive. According to a new poll, American workers lost a total of $37.7 billion waiting around for in-house appointments in 2011.
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.
Tallying up the flu's effect on our economy is enough to make you sick. Influenza was responsible for 100 million lost work days in 2010, according to a Walgreens study. That's $7 billion in lost wages, and $10 billion in lost productivity. Inspired to get vaccinated this year? We'll point you to the best deal.
The technical signs suggest we're at a crucial point for stocks: Either a decisive rise or a dramatic fall is coming. And if you're the type to dismiss technical analysis as unscientific voodoo, you're missing the point: It's not about pattern matching, it's about human psychology.
The majority of jobs in the U.S. are created by small business, which are still reluctant to hire new workers. And while some of their reasons for holding back may mirror those of big businesses, local conditions like state taxes may loom larger in their decisions.
It's hard to fathom that something as mundane as weather could affect employment statistics. But it clearly does. And it also has big impact on how much work actually gets done. And beyond the snows of winter, there's distractions like the Super Bowl that keep worker from their duties.
These days it feels as if every piece of economic news comes with a qualifier. However, one statistic has had an unqualified, enduring positive run: the rise in worker productivity, which bodes well for investors, employees and -- eventually -- job-seekers.
There's no way to sugarcoat it: The U.S. job deficit is huge, and it will take years to fix. But investors shouldn't become too pessimistic. America's economy has the capacity to adapt and renew itself faster than many folks expect.
Here's a short answer for those who wonder what could transport the market still higher: the economy. The unexpected and sudden advance that started last September foresaw favorable economic news. The continuing rebound will now propel the market to even headier levels.

Market Movers

SymbolLastChange / %Volume

Most Actives

BAC
Bank of America Corp
8.04-0.15
-1.77%
205.62M
ALU
Alcatel-Lucent (ADR)
2.21+0.27
+13.66%
109.96M
F
Ford
12.40-0.29
-2.29%
37.34M
GE
General Electric Company
18.82-0.32
-1.65%
35.10M

% Gainers

CIE
Cobalt International Energy
31.12 +7.22
+30.21%
16.13M
LNKD
LinkedIn Corp.
89.40 +13.01
+17.03%
10.66M
ALU
Alcatel-Lucent (ADR)
2.21 +0.27
+13.66%
109.96M
WNS
WNS (Holdings) Limited (ADR)
10.52 +1.12
+11.91%
2.81M

% Losers

NBG-A
National Bank of Greece SA (ADR)
5.73-1.02
-15.11%
167,755
OSG
Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc.
10.22-1.61
-13.61%
1.55M
OC-B
Owens Corning (Warrant) 'B'
2.34-0.31
-11.62%
25,036
YGE
Yingli Green Energy Hold. Co. Ltd. (ADR)
5.22-0.68
-11.53%
9.47M
Newswire

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