Irwin M. Stelzer: Conflicting economic views might all be right

Here’s a bit of comfort as you start the work week: Don’t worry if you find the economic news confusing. It is confusing.

Last week, stock prices took a beating. But share prices are still ahead of where they were a year ago, and the economy grew at a rate of 3.4 percent in the last quarter, the fastest rate since early 2006. Treasury Sec. Hank Paulson, who knows something about the real world, says he has never seen so robust a global economic boom. So relax.