If you are interested in finance and economics, especially in the US context, you may have heard of the Calculated Risk blog. This blog is one of the most popular and influential blogs in its niche, providing insightful analysis and commentary on various topics, such as the housing market, the labour market, the banking sector, the Federal Reserve, and more. In this article, we will introduce you to the Calculated Risk blog, its history, its features, and its benefits.
What is the Calculated Risk blog?
The Calculated Risk blog is a finance and economics blog that was started in early 2005 by Bill McBride, a former technology executive who retired in the 1990s. McBride uses the pseudonym Calculated Risk to write his posts, which are usually concise and accessible summaries of the key economic data and developments. He also has a knack for recognizing which facts really matter and predicting how economic events will unfold.
The Calculated Risk blog also featured frequent posts by Doris Dungey, who used the pseudonym Tanta, from December 2006 until her death on November 30, 2008 from ovarian cancer. Dungey was an expert on mortgage finance and securitization, and she wrote detailed and witty posts on these topics, as well as on the subprime crisis and the housing meltdown. She was widely praised for her prescient and clarifying analysis by both readers and fellow bloggers.
The Calculated Risk blog covers a wide range of topics related to finance and economics, such as:
- The housing market: The blog tracks various indicators of the housing market, such as home sales, home prices, inventory, mortgage rates, delinquencies, foreclosures, and more. The blog also provides regular updates on the Case-Shiller Home Price Index, which measures the changes in home prices across 20 major metropolitan areas in the US.
- The labor market: The blog follows various measures of the labor market, such as employment, unemployment, job openings, layoffs, wages, labor force participation, and more. The blog also publishes monthly employment reports, which analyze the data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and compare them with previous months and years.
- The banking sector: The blog monitors various aspects of the banking sector, such as bank failures, bank stress tests, bank earnings, bank lending standards, bank capital ratios, and more. The blog also reports on the activities and policies of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which insures deposits and resolves failed banks.
- The Federal Reserve: The blog follows the actions and statements of the Federal Reserve, which is the central bank of the US. The blog pays close attention to the Fed’s monetary policy decisions, such as setting the federal funds rate (the interest rate that banks charge each other for overnight loans), conducting quantitative easing (buying large amounts of bonds to inject money into the economy), and communicating its outlook and guidance to the public.
- Other topics: The blog also covers other topics related to finance and economics, such as inflation, GDP growth, consumer spending, trade balance, budget deficit, fiscal policy, oil prices, stock market performance, economic indicators from other countries or regions (such as China or Europe), and more.
What are the features of the Calculated Risk blog?
The Calculated Risk blog has several features that make it easy to navigate and use for its readers. Some of these features are:
- Categories: The blog has a list of categories on its sidebar that allow readers to filter posts by topic. For example, readers can click on “Housing” to see all posts related to the housing market.
- Tags: The blog also has a list of tags on its sidebar that allow readers to filter posts by keyword. For example, readers can click on “Case-Shiller” to see all posts related to the Case-Shiller Home Price Index.
- Comments: The blog allows readers to comment on each post using a Disqus platform. Readers can also reply to other comments or upvote or downvote them. The comments section often contains lively discussions and debates among readers who share their opinions or insights on the post topic.
- Newsletter: The blog offers a newsletter service that allows readers to subscribe to receive new posts by email. Readers can sign up for the newsletter by entering their email address on a form on the sidebar or by clicking on a link at the bottom of each post.
- Twitter: The blog has a Twitter account that tweets links to new posts as well as other relevant information or news. Readers can follow the account to stay updated on the latest content from the blog.
What are the benefits of reading the Calculated Risk blog?
Reading the Calculated Risk blog can have many benefits for anyone who is interested in finance and economics. Some of these benefits are:
- Learning: Reading the blog can help readers learn more about finance and economics, as the blog explains complex concepts and data in simple and clear terms. The blog also provides links to original sources and references for further reading or verification.
- Staying informed: Reading the blog can help readers stay informed about the current state and trends of the economy, as the blog provides timely and accurate information and analysis on various economic indicators and events. The blog also provides forecasts and expectations for future outcomes or scenarios.
- Developing critical thinking: Reading the blog can help readers develop critical thinking skills, as the blog encourages readers to question assumptions, examine evidence, compare perspectives, and draw conclusions. The blog also invites readers to share their views or feedback in the comments section or on Twitter.
- Enjoying: Reading the blog can also be enjoyable, as the blog is written in a conversational and engaging tone. The blog also uses humor, sarcasm, or irony to make its points or to lighten up serious topics. The blog also features occasional posts on non-economic topics, such as sports, music, or personal stories.
Conclusion
The Calculated Risk blog is a finance and economics blog that was founded by Bill McBride in 2005 and that also featured posts by Doris Dungey until 2008. The blog covers a wide range of topics related to finance and economics, such as the housing market, the labour market, the banking sector, the Federal Reserve, and more. The blog has several features that make it easy to navigate and use for its readers, such as categories, tags, comments, newsletters, and Twitter. The blog has many benefits for its readers, such as learning, staying informed, developing critical thinking, and enjoying. If you are interested in finance and economics, especially in the US context, you should definitely check out the Calculated Risk blog.
