Watch CBS News

Nobel winner: U.S. economy "doing well"

Latest MoneyWatch headlines
Up to $6B in insured losses from Hurricane Matthew, and other MoneyWatch headlines 01:04

WASHINGTON -- Harvard economist Oliver Hart, talking to reporters after learning he’d won the Nobel economics prize with Bengt Holmstrom of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, sized up the state of the U.S. economy as OK.

“It’s doing well,” he said. “Not as well as we’d like, but it seems to be moving in right direction.”

U.S. employers added 156,000 jobs in September, according to the government’s latest figures released Friday. Although that’s well below last year’s average monthly gain of 230,000, the report paints a picture of a resilient economy that continues to steadily produce new jobs.

Asked whether Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton would be best qualified to manage the economy, he said: “One is sane and one is insane. I hope sane one wins.” 

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.