Are American households feeling the economic recovery?

New home sales
A "sold" sign sits out in front of a home currently under construction at the Winthrop subdivision Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012, in Riverview, Fla.
Chris O'Meara/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Recent economic numbers represent a mixed bag. Home prices are up. Consumer confidence is down. Stock prices are up. Wage growth is down.

Personal finance educator Ruth Hayden joins The Daily Circuit to discuss how these competing forces affect household finances.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NUMBERS

How the jobless rate is measured and compiled
MPR News reporter Annie Baxter looks at how economists use surveys to tell us about the health of the economy.

Behind the rise in house prices, Wall Street buyers
The New York Times examines the impact of large investment firms on rising house prices.

Stock markets rise, but half of Americans don't benefit
The New York Times' Economix blog notes that while the stock market reached new highs recently, many won't benefit since the share of Americans with stock investments "has been falling in recent years."

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