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Recession Briefing 11.10: Home Invaders Curbed

What you need to know today to survive and thrive in the recession.

One of the few bright spots of the recession: The number of home burglaries is falling in some cities and towns. “With a lot more unemployed people, a lot more people are staying home, and they see more in their neighborhood,” said St. Louis County Sgt. Thomas Lasater. (Associated Press)

One bright spot of Friday’s gloomy jobs report was the surge in temporary hires. Companies are hiring more temps with plans to convert them into full-time workers if economic conditions improve. (Wall Street Journal)

The Dow gained more than 53 percent from its March trough while the S&P is up over 61 percent from its springtime low. That’s just not normal; it’s too much, too soon. (The Big Money)

What happens if we create a new Works Progress Administration, employment growth resumes, and there are large numbers of WPA-type workers who don’t want to give up their jobs? (The New Republic)

Many unemployed Americans have been living in a severance economy — using severance pay and savings to maintain their lifestyles. Many lost their jobs in 2007 and 2008, and thought they’d soon find work. Now, they’re getting desperate. (Wall Street Journal)

Expect a dearth of holiday gift baskets and other goodies next month, as the tough economy forces companies to cut back on holiday gift giving. (USA Today)

Though official national figures won’t be available for a while, there have been signs that the suicide rate has risen amid the recession. (MSNBC)

At Sexpo, the replica genitals are as big as the profits, as the adult industry emerges from the worldwide recession streamlined, globalized and hungry for more. (Agence France Presse)

Home prices are stabilizing, but foreclosures still account for 20 percent of sales, according to real estate site Zillow. (Huffington Post)

The Federal Housing Administration, which has played a crucial role supporting American home buyers after the collapse of the mortgage market, has burned through a huge cash reserve and could soon wind up with what amounts to an automatic taxpayer bailout. (Washington Post)

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Tags: crime, housing, jobs, real estate, stock market