Join our live conversation for the next half hour on twitter or facebook. Now least week i told you about conflicting signals in our economy. Today im going to give a little more to chew on. Every monday Thomson Reuters combines to see Consumer Sentiment. Despite signs of a growing economy, many question whether the economy is growing enough or fast enough to raise income levels for average americans in 2014. Now we saw examples of that during the Holiday Season i in 2013, well, sales were up from 2012, but they werent very profitable because retailers discounted so deeply to attract customers. Stores made less money on those sales. On friday we learned that ups made less money because of a slew of failed christmas package deliveries cutting into its bottom line. All those shoppers holding out for last minute deals over the Holiday Season may prove too costly for american businesses in the end. We dont know yet what is driving this cautious consumer behavior. If americans can sense storm clouds on the horizon, then they pull back on spending. Just think of it as an economic storm cloud forming over the ocean far from the shore. Were not sure if those storm clouds will a make a storm or if they will make land full. Its my job to determine if they will bring danger to you. It could be nothing. Thats what economists seem to think. Step back in Consumer Sentiment probably serves to remind us that its not going to Straight Line up. There are going to be fits and starts. Were going to have periods of stronger spending, stronger growth followed by some periods of pulling back a little bit. And i suspect thats what well see as we get further into the year. Well, as for the Housing Market slowing mortgage activity showing in quarter earnings reported by the banks last week. The booming finance of 2013 fell off the cliff in the final three months of the year. Americas two huge home lenders are seeing drop off. Wells fargo, the largest home lender in america reported a 60 drop compared to the Previous Year while the number two lender, Jp Morgan Chase reported the a 54 drop for the same period. There may be rising rates or it could be glimmer of hope for home buyers out there. It may get easier for many people to lock in a loan going forward. Already weve seen lenders begin to relax loan standards. Its not much just a little bit. The National Average fico score used to assess a home buyers ability to pay back a loan, its down 21 points from the Previous Years average soar. All of this should have implications for consumer lender. Who else to discuss that than sheila bayer, now the share of Systemic Risk council at Pew Charitable trusts. I asked her if looser spending standards are a good thing. I dont know if it should all be about credit scores. We should look at the ability to repay. Do you have a good credit history. This is reflected by the credit score and other factors. Do you have a bit of a down payment. I think thats important. So there are a variety of underwriting parks that banks traditionally looked at and did so quite successfully. Even small banks that used to say, sheila, we have known you for 30 years, it doesnt matter because theyre going give a loan and sell it off to somebody else. Well, they do a lot of with gsc, freddy may an sally may and freddie mac. Yes, i think some balanced lender standards is good but we dont want to get back where we were prior to the crisis. Lets face it. We had too much mortgage lending prior to the crisis. It was an unsustainable engine of consumption. People doing these serial cash out reifies with mortgages they couldnt afford. It was a bad model. I think some balancing, a balanced approach to lending standards is good. I think the banks could make a little bit more of a spread, more incentives to helped. Also doing purchase originations. Most of this activity has been refinancings, and that puts a little extra money homeowners pockets, the ones who qualify, but it doesnt heal the Housing Market that much, for those who need oh to buy houses. This may give banks a little more incentive to do Purchase Organization nations originations. After spending 187 billion to bail out ellie may an fannie mae and freddie mac. They were created to help increase homeownership amongst the middle class. You think now that they pay back, and they are so big in the system you think maybe its time to say good buy to these organizations. This is a huge risk for taxpayers. Taxpayers are vently guaranteeing 90 of Mortgage Origination in this country. And should we have another down turn, so yeah i would like to see the private sector taking responsibility for funding and taking the risk in a mondaysible way. Housing is the fan fesstation of a healthy economy. It cant really drive growth. We need jobs with real wage increases, thats what boosts the economy. To think that the Housing Market can do it through the availability of cheap credit and housing bubbles, thats not sustainable. I think if we subsidize housing too much to the detriment to other sectors that can give us sustainable growth. Other countries offer mortgages without these subsidies. Thats right. It does expand homeownership. The topic of interest is homes, but we need businesses which take risks and end up having sometimes riskier loans to get financing. How do you feel about the market for businesses trying to raise money. All right, commercial loans seem to be picking up a little bit. Thats the kind of lending we want to see. Thats what is going to drive Economic Growth and job creation. That seems to be picking up again. You want prudent commercial lending. We saw am in commercial lending prior to the crisis, so we need to make sure that the banks use prudent, solid under riding standards. With the Interest Rates go up, that means theyll have more of incentive to do it. I it mason counter inat thisti thistive. Sheila, always great to talk to you. Nice talking to you. Thanks for having yes. Next four ceo with the challenges up head, and the fight for the toughest on the block and what they stand to benefit, more states are trying to lure in the movie business. We talk to a company in im phil torres, coming up this week on techknow. A mystery, deep in the heart of the rain forrest we havent seen something actually build them. Its been really frustrating its a spidery clue that has our team of scientests stumped. Join our journey to peru. Then, it looks like chicken, tastes like chicken, thats good. But its not. The foamy inovation thats making hardcore meat eaters happy. Techknow on Al Jazeera AmericaAl Jazeera America. We open up your world. Here on america tonight, an opportunity for all of america to be heard. Our shows explore the issues that shape our lives. New questions are raised about the american intervention. From unexpected viewpoints to live changing innovations, dollars and cents to powerful storytelling. We are at a Tipping Point in americas history Al Jazeera America. Theres more to it. Ford ceo alan mulalli pumped new money through ford. Now ford is back on track. Mullaly introduced the new design of its massively successful f 150 truck. The fseries has been the number one truck for 37 years, the number one vehicle for 32. We just introduced our late f 150, lightweight materials and turbo charging and all of the improvement, fuel mileage, hauling capability, cargo capability and the features, its a great day for ford and the truck. Outside of ford 2013 was a real banner year for the u. S. Auto industry. There were a lot of people who were thinking we wouldnt get to those kinds of numbers. Was that betterobviously you had forecasts all along but what does this say about our economy here. Its about where we thought it would be, less than 16, and we also think based on the strength of the economic recovery well see an expansion of two and a half percent for this next year. And also an industry between 16 and 17 Million Units in the United States. What would you do if one of your guys said they were collecting information about drivers. Cars have these black boxes like airplanes do. This is a business you know about. It made people worried in light of the nsa stuff. Is ford collecting data. Absolutely not. And we do not track where you are or where the vehicle is. That was just mistakenly said. Kind of part of a bigger conversation, privacy. And our number one job is to help drivers and we do not collect data. There was an interesting question where people are saying what do you doyou mentioned attracting the whole family, but younger americans are not that into buying a car or driving a car like i was, you were. For us it was a rite of passage. Maybe you got your car before your drivers license. They dont think the same way. What do you do about that . First, we continue to really understand what they value. What has turned out to be the biggest single thing they value is connectivity. Theyre connected to their small phone and devices. We allow that to be brought in, we access that with our sank so you can actually run your placing, do it with your voice so your hands are on the wheel and your eyes on the road. Clearly more and more people are going to live in cities around the world. This personal mobility is really important. Were working with the governments and cities how do we keep evolving the Rapid Transit and mass transit to move around. There will always be great market automobiles and all modes of transportation and linking those so people have enriched lives in the big cities. Where are you in america. You have factory that is are being built. We continue to broaden our portfolio were serving ought the markets of north and south america, europe, russia, afghanistan, and the Fastest Growing areas are china. We have henry fords original vision having design in all of the vehicles. And any vehicle we sell around the world provides for he vehicles everywhere around the world. We have a new plant in china. And a new transmission and engine plan in china, and based on the strength of our products in our behalfing, and well be employing more here in the United States. One of the things that henry ford contributed to here in the United States was the building of the middle class. Were seeing a lot of pressure on that middle class, and its so tied to the Auto Industry. The Auto Industry was the thing that represented an avenue into the middle class. Can it still play that role, and what role is it playing . I think it will continue. There has been no country sustainable without a real Strong Manufacturing base. As you have reported well, a few years ago we were not competitive. Our unions, our suppliers, our dealers, all the employees, we pulled together, weve now created a very competitive ford company, exporting around the world, and i think foundation is 77 of all the Research Development in the United States is started with manufacturing and the big m. I think its important that we make things that people want and value, and its the foundation for our economy. Fords f150 will be released in missouri. I spoke with the governor in missouri. I, like most of you from missouri, i have no need to ever have a truck, and this new f150 has more stuff that i dont need. This is the working mans truck, and it has connection to your state. We make them here, and were proud of the redesign of the f150. We think that it will keep the top market for for the. Everybody associates i building in detroit, but its in your state and it has been in your state go on the western side we have ford that builts the van. If and if youre driving a truck there is a chance that it was built in the showme state. When youcally about this show and the recession. There is a real sense that it was worth it to keep this sny. In january 2009 was the auto jobs task force. When i came up here that first and second it was quieter than it was today. In our state, and in our country, and its now paying off. Your state has the same concerns that the country has, to keep the middle class strong to pay taxes so we have more people praying in than taking out of the system. Its good to see 51 straight months that oklahoma has been below the un employment. I think shifting to a world economy, making sure you have an Education System and Training System that can deliver competitive skills is very important. The best economic tool there is, education. Forget about who was snubbed in the oscar nomination, at least for now, well look at why louisiana is taking work out of hollywood, california, and why theyre getting the thumbs down. Every sunday night Aljazeera America presents gripping films from the worlds top documetary directors. Everybodys different here. For students at the esteemed International High school at lafayette everyday is a fight to suceeed it was my dream to get a High School Diploma but a failing grade can mean loosing it all. I dont know how my life would look, if i would get deported. Will they make it in america . I have a chance. I learn america start with one issue education. Gun control. Lets talk tinseltown. Hollywood is buzzing with the nominations. Movies are a big deal to the american economy. In 2011 arts and culture generated 504 billion or 3. 2 of Gross Domestic Product or gdp. Given those numbers its no wonder that some states are competing ladder to lure tv and Film Production from hollywood. One way to do that is offer tax credits. Its a controversial practice. It gives money away to Production Companies who dont create permanent jobs. Missouri let its tax credit for films expire. North carolina where the hunger games from shot is debate building to add credits next year. But louisiana is lending expenditure to the state. Owner of hollywood trucks, it was named as one of americas Fastest Growing companies. It was involved with the butler butler; 12 years a slave. Its important not only for the creation of Economic Development but to the state as a whole. Its a brand new industry for us. I think its something that is fantastic. Its been growing. Were excited about it. Right behind me as you can see. Missouri and North Carolina are saying maybe they come in here. Companies like yours get the benefits of the tax credits, what does the Community Keep when youre talking about another state. Give they the argument against that. Our company was born through a tax program. It was founded in louisiana, started with seven vehicles. Weve grown to above 300, close to 400. Were expanding daily. Its an infrastructure program. You create longterm jobs. Every time we purchase or buy a new truck in this state every single union driver who drives those truck now has longterm employment. I would say that those Credit Programs are not only important to longterm jobs, but also sustained longterm jobs. If someone says programs like this does not create longterm jobs. Generally what happens, any time you go into a form of business scenario or Economic Development program, you have to have a certain period of return of investment. So that stands for any business. What happens with these particular programs and the film industry, entertainment industry, whatever you want to call it, the longer these are in place the longer the term of investment. Because people make investments. Thats right. You have homes being built, families moving here. Shortterm job becomes longterm. That particular person working on one film is now resident of the state. Theyre buying cars, spending money on gas, theyre putting their kids in school. Friends and families are moving down. Its a longterm industry, but you have to give that particular Credit Program a certain amount of time to get your r. O. I. What i found or what weve seen is the longer the program is in place the greater the return of the investment. Business has been growing at a cop called tractor supply. So good that the largest retail farm and ranch chain will soon be added to the s p 500. Tractor supply will replace Life Technologies afte after stock market closes. Final thoughts on the World Economic forum. This is as much for my producer as it is for you. He wants a reminder and why it matters to you ormaybe he wants to me why hes paying to fly me to switzerlands. Its hard to get to. Its expensive to attend and its not open to the public, but a lot of good gets done here there. Leaders discuss the worlds most entractible problems and nongovernmental organizations knowing that they have the attention of the worlds Decision Makers and the media. This year it will be turned to growing income inequality across the world including here in the United States. Ill speak to the ceo koch. The youth unemployment, the ceo of cisco, about how he sees the next stage of the internet being about inanimate objects like bridges that warn you when theyre about to fail. The forum is about big ideas, and im going there because i think y