Daily Economy
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Fed Raises Rates, Keeps Outlook Unchanged
The Federal Reserve raised its target for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to a range of 0.75 percent to 1.00 percent. The move was the third rate increase since December 2015. The current pace of policy normalization remains well below previous tightening cycles. The Summary Economic Projections (SEP), the survey of Fed…
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Rent-Seeking as a Threat to Modern Capitalism
What is the best way to ensure fairness and free competition in our economy? Many people believe that a large government that actively regulates the private sector will prevent large corporations from achieving undue market power. But this view ignores the concept of rent-seeking.
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Tepid Economic Data Ahead of Fed Decision
February retail sales and consumer prices rose at a slower pace compared to January. Some analysts have linked the moderation in spending to the delay in tax refunds by the Internal Revenue Service. The deceleration may also be a return to a moderate pace of growth following brisk gains in December and January. Either way,…
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Energy Dominates Modest Producer Price Pressures
In the discussion of prices and inflation, attention usually focuses on the Consumer Price index (CPI) or the Fed’s preferred measure, the Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) price index. They are designed to measure consumer prices. The Producer Price Index (PPI) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a much more comprehensive report covering goods…
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AIER’s Teach-the-Teachers Initiative: Job Embedded
In my previous blogs, I described the first three criteria for a high-quality professional development workshop analyzed in the recent report, “Bridging the Gap: Paving the Pathway from Current Practice to Exemplary Professional Learning,” published by the Frontline Research and Learning Institute. The criteria that were discussed are sustained learning, intensive instruction, and collaborative engagement…
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February Jobs Gain May Boost Economic Growth
The February jobs report may not have been the blowout that the ADP report had suggested but the 235,000 rise in payrolls, coming on the heels of a 238,000 increase in January, points to a robust labor market. The combined gains in January and February are the strongest since June and July of 2016. Other…
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Are Tourism Exports At Risk?
Changing U.S. policies may affect international trade in many ways, including one important aspect of trade that may not first come to mind: tourism. Many observers have recently warned that the Trump Administration’s recent travel ban, comments on immigration, and the associated unwelcoming climate will depress tourism significantly throughout the United States. I do not…
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Jobs Friday Surprise Could Seal the Deal for Fed Rate Hike
ADP, a global provider of cloud-based Human Capital Management (HCM) solutions and widely known for its payroll processing services, released its estimate for February private, nonfarm payroll jobs. The report is issued two days before the national employment situation report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The latest data from ADP show private nonfarm…
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AIER’s Teach-the-Teachers Initiative: Collaborative
As I continue to analyze how AIER’s Teach-the-Teachers Initiative complies with the criteria for the exemplary professional development outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released for public comment a plan to implement ESSA. I see that “strengthening educator preparation programs” and “promoting educator development”…
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The Federal Reserve and Private Debt
It is not a foregone conclusion that we need to radically reduce private debt, but it is noteworthy that we are hovering around 150 percent of GDP.
-
Fed Raises Rates, Keeps Outlook Unchanged
The Federal Reserve raised its target for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to a range of 0.75 percent to 1.00 percent. The move was the third rate increase since December 2015. The current pace of policy normalization remains well below previous tightening cycles. The Summary Economic Projections (SEP), the survey of Fed…
-
Rent-Seeking as a Threat to Modern Capitalism
What is the best way to ensure fairness and free competition in our economy? Many people believe that a large government that actively regulates the private sector will prevent large corporations from achieving undue market power. But this view ignores the concept of rent-seeking.
-
Tepid Economic Data Ahead of Fed Decision
February retail sales and consumer prices rose at a slower pace compared to January. Some analysts have linked the moderation in spending to the delay in tax refunds by the Internal Revenue Service. The deceleration may also be a return to a moderate pace of growth following brisk gains in December and January. Either way,…
-
Energy Dominates Modest Producer Price Pressures
In the discussion of prices and inflation, attention usually focuses on the Consumer Price index (CPI) or the Fed’s preferred measure, the Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) price index. They are designed to measure consumer prices. The Producer Price Index (PPI) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a much more comprehensive report covering goods…
-
AIER’s Teach-the-Teachers Initiative: Job Embedded
In my previous blogs, I described the first three criteria for a high-quality professional development workshop analyzed in the recent report, “Bridging the Gap: Paving the Pathway from Current Practice to Exemplary Professional Learning,” published by the Frontline Research and Learning Institute. The criteria that were discussed are sustained learning, intensive instruction, and collaborative engagement…
-
February Jobs Gain May Boost Economic Growth
The February jobs report may not have been the blowout that the ADP report had suggested but the 235,000 rise in payrolls, coming on the heels of a 238,000 increase in January, points to a robust labor market. The combined gains in January and February are the strongest since June and July of 2016. Other…
-
Are Tourism Exports At Risk?
Changing U.S. policies may affect international trade in many ways, including one important aspect of trade that may not first come to mind: tourism. Many observers have recently warned that the Trump Administration’s recent travel ban, comments on immigration, and the associated unwelcoming climate will depress tourism significantly throughout the United States. I do not…
-
Jobs Friday Surprise Could Seal the Deal for Fed Rate Hike
ADP, a global provider of cloud-based Human Capital Management (HCM) solutions and widely known for its payroll processing services, released its estimate for February private, nonfarm payroll jobs. The report is issued two days before the national employment situation report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The latest data from ADP show private nonfarm…
-
AIER’s Teach-the-Teachers Initiative: Collaborative
As I continue to analyze how AIER’s Teach-the-Teachers Initiative complies with the criteria for the exemplary professional development outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released for public comment a plan to implement ESSA. I see that “strengthening educator preparation programs” and “promoting educator development”…
-
The Federal Reserve and Private Debt
It is not a foregone conclusion that we need to radically reduce private debt, but it is noteworthy that we are hovering around 150 percent of GDP.
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