Stories of uncertainty and instability made economic headlines in 2011, but there may be reason for some optimism heading into 2012 as the economy has picked up some steam in recent months. Brookings Economic Studies experts offer recommendations and insights for what lies ahead in the new year while weighing in on the economic developments that made headlines in the past 12 months, from the euro crisis, tax reform debates and budget deficit stalemates to state and local budget news, the year's job gains and discussions on social mob

Hope.  It persists.  We have hope for a Santa Claus rally, but that window is closing.  So now we have the hope that investors will wake up to the fact that the USA is doing so much better than Europe.  And when will investors come to this realization?  Why, of course, at the start of [...]

The crisis in Syria continues to deteriorate. Recently, the U.N. reported that more than 5,000 people have died in Syria.