Soft Patch

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Dictionary Says

Definition of 'Soft Patch'

A period of economic slowdown amid a larger trend of economic growth. This buzzword is most often used in the financial media and by the U.S. Federal Reserve to describe a period of economic weakness.
Investopedia Says

Investopedia explains 'Soft Patch'

This term gained popularity when former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan used it in his review of the overall U.S. economy. Central banks often cut interest rates in an attempt to spur the economy through the soft patch. An example of a soft patch would be an economic slowdown due to rising commodity prices, which is believed to be short term, with the economy growing at a faster rate after the slow patch.

Search results for

'Soft Patch'

  • 3 Hot Stocks for a Fickle Market

    http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/moneyshow/3HotStocksforaFickleMarket.aspx
    ... The economic soft patch, deficit fears, the EU's debt dilemma, and the length of
    the bull market are the concerns that led to the recent market drop. ...

  • Hasbro Is A Great Play

    http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2011/Hasbro-Is-A-Great-Play-HAS-MAT-DISCA0729.aspx
    ... Tickers in this Article: DISCA, HAS, MAT. The near-term soft patch could
    be over for Hasbro (Nasdaq:HAS). A string of blockbuster ...

  • 4 Down Stocks Ready To Rebound

    http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2011/4-Down-Stocks-Ready-To-Rebound-TGT-SCCO-FNSR-RCL0331.aspx
    ... As Credit Suisse's William Stein points out though, the soft patch is likely to
    be short-lived - bandwidth is still in short order, and should still drive ...

  • The 6 Signs Of An Economic Recovery - Investopedia.com

    http://financialedge.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0810/The-6-Signs-Of-An-Economic-Recovery.aspx
    ... in their spending habits. Lower spending will then more or less make the
    economic soft patch happen. When people are more optimistic ...

  • 4 Things To Know About Earnings Season - Investopedia.com

    http://financialedge.investopedia.com/financial-edge/1010/4-Things-To-Know-About-Earnings-Season.aspx
    ... news. If it is a minor miss, though, or if the entire sector is in a soft
    patch, it may be time to consider patience. Good companies ...

  • Transocean Far From Sunk

    http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2010/Transocean-Far-From-Sunk-RIG-BP-CAM-SII-PBR-FTI-CGV-HAL-APA-XOM0511.aspx
    ... Problems Investors who are new to the energy patch may wonder why Transocean reported
    a relatively soft quarter while energy companies like Apache (NYSE: APA ...

  • No Summer Holiday Yet For Rail Traffic

    http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2011/No-Summer-Holiday-Yet-For-Rail-Traffic-UNP-CSX-NSC-BOX-TGH-CP-HTLD0712.aspx
    ... and economists who believe that the recovery is in a rough patch but still ... know whether
    utilities simply stocked up on too much coal or whether demand is soft. ...

  • Out Of The Box Resource Plays

    http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2011/Out-Of-The-Box-Resource-Plays-CRESY-PICO-AGRO-CUT0408.aspx
    ... sectors may be the best ways to find uncorrelated assets in the commodities patch. ...
    Soft commodities, such as corn and wheat, are needed to meet the world's ...

  • Rail Traffic Confirms A Slowing Economy

    http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2011/Rail-Traffic-Seems-To-Confirm-A-Slowing-Economy-GWW-UNP-ODFL-NSX-CSX-BOX-TEU0610.aspx
    ... It's worth mentioning that in the same week that the AAR reported soft rail traffic ...
    Maybe it's a rough patch, maybe it's just the bottom of a mini-cycle, or ...

  • Weight Watchers – Yo-Yo Performance And Debt Gluttony

    http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2012/Weight-Watchers--Yo-Yo-Performance-And-Debt-Gluttony-WTW-NTRI-MED-ABT0216.aspx
    ... A Slightly Soft Fourth Quarter Although Weight Watchers' reported fourth quarter
    results were OK ... business - were the US economy to hit another rough patch or an ...

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