Dow Jones senior economics writer McAuley dies

John McAuley, the senior economics writer at Dow Jones Newswires, died Wednesday at the age of 60 from cardiac arrest shortly after making an appearance on the Fox Business Network to discuss a recent column.

Eduardo Kaplan of Dow Jones Newswires wrote, “That Big Picture column, one of the hundreds John wrote since he joined Dow Jones Newswires in 2000, exemplified his talent to provide original insights on all matters pertaining to the economy in a clear and often witty manner.  Writing about the current debate on growing inflationary pressures, John started a recent column: ‘The inflation news for October was mostly good, particularly if you don’t drive or eat.’Â

“John had an unfettered curiosity about the economy, a passion he generously shared in the newsroom with every reporter and editor. He was constantly seeking new ways to understand the complex forces that shape the economy and worked surrounded by towering piles of economic data that only he could identify.  Like most financial journalists on the beat, John liked to talk to Wall Street economists. Like few of them, he would also reach out to truck drivers and port inspectors, grocery clerks, government statisticians and chief executive officers.

“He rarely stopped thinking about the subject that fascinated him.  Dave Greenlaw, an economist at Morgan Stanley in New York and a frequent voice in John’s columns, recalls him as a ‘wonderful, wonderful man.’ Late last year while visiting his family in Tacoma over the Christmas holidays, John found himself stuck at home during a blackout. He opened his laptop and started writing a column on the disruptions to the economy caused by major accidents as well as minor inconveniences. His conclusion was: ‘It’s dangerous to leave an economist mulling over things in the dark.'”

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