Unless energy prices ease, the holiday shopping season will probably be mediocre at best.

The Dow breaking above 11,000 might be a nice holiday present for the U.S. economy in that it should boost the confidence of both consumers and businesses and lay the basis for a livelier-than-expected 2006.

That's a prime example of where higher energy prices can rein in core [non-energy] inflation.

Today's extraordinarily low real borrowing costs just might spare the U.S. economy from another energy-related slump.

The fact that oil is remaining above $40 leaves me all the more convinced that core CPI will continue to climb higher, that we're on the verge of having the annual rate break above 2 percent.

The fact that oil is remaining above $40 leaves me all the more convinced that core CPI will continue to climb higher, that we're on the verge of having the annual rate break above 2 percent,