Weekly Economic Update: December 19 – December 23, 2016
Featuring our Chart of the Week, the Weekly Economic Update reviews the previous week's headlines and outlines what may be making news in the coming week.
December 2016 Federal Open Market Committee Announcement Review
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voted unanimously to raise its target range for the fed funds rate by 0.25 percentage points to between 0.50 and 0.75 percent. This was the second increase since the financial crisis of 2008. The previous increase occurred in December 2015.
Weekly Economic Update: December 12 – December 16, 2016
The Chart of the Week shows improved productivity from technological advancements gave one farm worker in 2010 the ability to feed 140 people, rather than the 2 people fed in 1790. The rising tide of productivity helped free resources for use in new industries and fed a burgeoning American economy.
From Creation to Reform, Part II: Congressional Roles in Regulation
In the Joint Economic Report 1979, the Joint Economic Committee warned about “the growth of unnecessary, conflicting, and duplicative regulations” and noted that overregulation had been a contributing factor in the inflation crisis that had gripped the nation. The report stated, “Witnesses appearing...
Breaking the Conventional Mold: Monetary Policy Actions Since the 2008 Financial Crisis
The Federal Reserve defines monetary policy as “what the Federal Reserve, the nation's central bank, does to influence the amount of money and credit in the U.S. economy. What happens to money and credit affects interest rates (the cost of credit) and the performance of the U.S. economy.”
The Looming Debt Crisis: A State & Local Perspective
The federal government currently owes nearly $20 trillion in gross debt. All projections indicate the debt will continue to rise dramatically unless Congress and the President move to get the budget in order. At a September Joint Economic Committee hearing, members of Congress and expert witnesses...
Weekly Economic Update: December 5 – December 9, 2016
Featuring our Chart of the Week, the Weekly Economic Update reviews headlines from the previous week and previews the week ahead.
Labor Review: Context for the November Labor Report
Today’s November employment report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recorded a 178,000 gain in nonfarm payroll jobs. Private payrolls gained 156,000 jobs.
The Reward of Work, Incentives, and Upward Mobility
Since the turn of the century, the United States has witnessed slower growth in population, labor force participation, and hours worked. The economy has also experienced slower growth in the years following the most recent recession.
The Looming Debt Crisis: An International Perspective
Governments routinely borrow money to cover deficits that occur when spending amounts outweigh collected revenues. Sovereign debt is common across countries whether they are large or small, developed or developing. However, once debt levels reach a point where payment of principal or interest obli...
