From: leroysoetoro@usurper.org   
      
   XPost: alt.politics.elections, alt.politics.obama, sac.politics   
   XPost: alt.politics.democrats, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, alt.politics.economics   
      
   http://www.reuters.com/article/us-unionpacific-economy-idUSKCN0UZ2LR   
      
   Facing a freight recession caused by slumping commodity prices and   
   industrial output, No. 1 U.S. railroad Union Pacific Corp (UNP.N) said   
   Thursday hopes of strong economic growth have so far been undermined by a   
   key missing ingredient - the American consumer.   
      
   "What's causing us some concern is it’s hard to figure out where the   
   consumer is at," Chief Executive Lance Fritz told Reuters by phone.   
      
   While Americans were buying automobiles and unemployment numbers looked   
   good, he said labor participation "is lackluster and consumers just don’t   
   seem to be showing up to purchase goods and services."   
      
   Ever since oil prices began to decline in 2014, economists and corporate   
   America have hoped this would translate into higher consumption.   
      
   "There was a widespread belief that consumers would turn the savings from   
   low fuel into spending and we haven’t seen that so much," Fritz said.   
      
   The chief executive spoke to Reuters after the Omaha, Nebraska-based   
   railroad company reported a lower fourth-quarter profit amid declining   
   freight volumes affecting coal, steel, industrial goods and agricultural   
   products, that reflected a broad-based commodity slump. The one bright   
   spot was automotive shipments, as consumer goods also took a dive.   
      
   Shares were down 3.5 percent at $71 in afternoon trading.   
      
   Just this week, Moody's Investors Service warned of "increasing risks of   
   an industrial recession" for North American manufacturers.   
      
   Fritz said feedback from the railroad's customers "depends on what part of   
   the economy they're competing in."   
      
   "Those that have an exposure to global trade and the strong dollar are a   
   little pessimistic in terms of the steel industry and capacity utilization   
   in U.S. plants," he said.   
      
   "The automobile makers are cautious but also somewhat optimistic, they've   
   gone on a tear here for four or five years and consumers look like they're   
   pretty bullish on automobiles."   
      
   Coal's decline has hurt North America's railroads, with shipments falling   
   nearly 12 percent in 2015 as utilities switched to cheaper natural gas and   
   as a sturdy U.S. dollar hurt coal exports.   
      
   Union Pacific expects coal to be down around 20 percent in the first   
   quarter of this year, but beyond that, the outlook is more uncertain.   
      
   "It’s going to be all about how quickly the electricity generators chew   
   through their excess inventory," and what happens with the weather and   
   natural gas prices, Fritz said.   
      
      
      
   --   
   Obama increased total debt from $10 trillion to $19 trillion in the six   
   years he has been in office, and sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood   
   queer liberal democrat donors.   
      
   Barack Obama, reelected by the dumbest voters in the history of the United   
   States of America.  The only American president to deliberately import a   
   lethal infectious disease from Africa, Ebola.   
      
   Loretta Fuddy, killed after she "verified" Obama's phony birth   
   certificate.   
      
   Nancy Pelosi, Democrat criminal, accessory before and after the fact to   
   improper vetting of Barry Soetoro aka Barack Hussein Obama, a confirmed   
   felon using SSAN 042-68-4425, belonging to a dead man.   
      
   Obama ignored the brutal killing of an American diplomat in Benghazi, then   
   relieved American military officers who attempted to prevent said murder   
   in order to cover up his own ineptitude.   
      
   Obama continues his muslim goal of disarming America while ObamaCare   
   increases insurance premiums 300% and leaves millions without health care.   
      
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