- Housing sales stalling in some areas (inventory trend increasing)
- Factory orders stalling in some areas
- Energy costs increasing rapidly (you don't need a link for gasoline costs, but here is one and another for your other energy needs)
- Interest rates to continue rising Fed officials have said rates are still too low for an economy facing only a temporary setback from the storm.
Meanwhile...
- Northwest and Delta Airlines files for bankruptcy
- Ford plans to import at least 50% of its parts requirements ... that's really good for U.S. suppliers, eh?
- U.S. moving from a producing nation to a consuming nation
- Non-entreprenurial workers (salaried) getting sqeezed by jobs moving overseas through little or no increase in incomes and companies going out of business or sourcing product elsewhere, while the cost of living is going up quickly
- The Federal government's response is to fight inflation by raising interest rates which will make it increasingly difficult for those on fixed or no incomes to obtain necessities (you may not have to drive, but you probably will have to heat and cook... until you can't afford to live in a house... which fewer and fewer people can afford to buy from you)