We're only asking for more concrete steps in Europe, a stable tax regime here at home, productive corporate cash deployment, more jobs, and mild inflation.
Any deal to avert the fiscal cliff will modestly hit the economy, but legislators won't allow the worst-case scenario--and subsequent recession--to happen, says Northern Trust chief economist Carl Tannenbaum.
In almost every government report we've had so far, the impact of Sandy has been far bigger than anybody would have imagined, says Morningstar's Bob Johnson.
Investors can get a better read on the data by tuning out short-term quirks, understanding when indicators are most reliable, and properly sizing the economic magnitude of each report.