Macroeconomics

September 14, 2014

The Nudge Toward a Goldilocks Savings Rate

We need to raise the low U.S. savings rate with new incentives like a lottery on savings deposits because households and business investment need savings.

September 3, 2014

Using Prediction Markets to Catch Match-Fixing at Wimbledon

When supply and demand in tennis match prediction markets created illogical prices, researchers said that 3 matches at Wimbledon might have been fixed.

August 31, 2014

Bedtime Stories… About the Economy.

From statistics and a satellite image of the world at night, we can see that developing countries lack the electrification they need for economic growth.

August 29, 2014

Solving the Airplane Seat Problem

According to Ronald Coase, if reclining in an airline seat creates a negative externality, both parties can negotiate because the transaction costs are low.

August 28, 2014

The Path of the Shifting Center of Global Economic Power

Led by Chinese economic growth and other emerging markets, the center of economic gravity is moving eastward from the developed world to Asia.

August 27, 2014

The Costs of Being Prepared for a Natural Disaster

Whereas natural disaster preparation can save lives, it might have too high an opportunity cost to make sense or be a ShakeAlert that has been proven.

August 17, 2014

A Closer Look at the EU 28 Economic Growth Rate

Looking at a European average economic growth rate, unemployment rate and GDP to debt ratio is misleading because of countries' disparate economies.

August 12, 2014

What Refrigerators Can Tell Us About Global Markets

In refrigerators in developing nations, we can see the impact of affluence on their diet and on supply and demand that will change worldwide food prices.

August 11, 2014

Will You Get Your Social Security Benefits?

The 2014 Social Security Trustees Report says that after we deplete the remains of the program's trust funds in 2033, payroll taxes will not provide all promised benefits.

August 4, 2014

The Spillover from Refrigerators in China

The spread of refrigeration in China has positive and negative externalities that relate to household diets, greenhouse gases and transport and home waste.

July 31, 2014

Argentina's (Long) Default History

With Argentina again defaulting on her sovereign debt, she is violating the sanctity of contracts and lessened her borrowing ability at home and globally.