U.S. Economy

• The Rise and Fall of Consumer Prices Over Time Valeo Financial Advisors
• Fed chairman says unemployment expected to stay above 7% through 2014. CNN
• The drought is now affecting the widest range since 1956. Here are pictures of devastated farmland. Business Insider
• U.S. Retail Sales Drop Again Wall Street Journal
• Beginning construction of U.S. homes rose in June to the fastest rate in almost four years  Bloomberg

Financial Planning

• The average student loan balance in Q1 2005 was $15,651..In Q1 2012 it was $24,301 Student loan charts Federal Reserve Bank of New York
• Colleges and universities that award merit aid, form Abilene Christian to Young Harris. Chart: The New York Times
• 20% to 28% of people eligible to borrow from their 401(k) accounts have an outstanding loan. The default rate… 17.4% L.A. Times

Markets

• Wait, Investors Paid Germany To Hold Their Cash? Planet Money
• What motivates people to contribute money to projects on Kickstarter? Reuters

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