Economic Commentary
Providing you with in-depth analysis of current economic and financial issues.
1982
- November 1, 1982
- Do Deficits Cause Inflation?
- An examination of possible ways in which large, persistent federal budget deficits could cause inflation through action on money-stock growth, velocity, and real gross national product (GNP). (PDF)
- October 18, 1982
- The Shift to Western Coal
- A discussion of the reasons for the shift in U.S. coal production to western states, with data on production (1970-81) and consumption (1970-80) by region, plus an examination of the nation’s coal production outlook. (PDF)
- October 4, 1982
- Safe-Harbor Leasing: Separating the Wheat from the Chaff
- This Economic Commentary discusses the criticisms of safe-harbor leasing that led to the demise of the program. Despite very real problems, however, safe-harbor leasing raises some important issues worthy of further consideration. Foremost among these is whether all firms should benefit from the use of corporate tax incentives for investment. (PDF)
- July 26, 1982
- The Strength of Consumer Balance Sheets
- A discussion of the 1979 to 1981 overall reduction in consumer debt and of its possible impact on the economy, with a summary of asset characteristics, and an analysis of changes in consumer balance sheets. (PDF)
- July 12, 1982
- Anatomy of a Price-Fix
- An analysis of a price-fixing scheme among retail food chains in the Cleveland, Ohio area that resulted in criminal charges and a $4.2 million fine against the perpetrators, plus a discussion of consumer damages involved in the case. (PDF)
- June 28, 1982
- Union Wage Concessions
- An examination of union concessions from 58 contracts in various industries (1975-81), questioning whether they represent long-term changes in the union-management relationship. (PDF)
- June 14, 1982
- Performance of Ohio?s Independent Banks
- An analysis of independent bank performance from 1979-81 in meeting the challenge posed by economic, regulatory, and technological changes in the commercial banking marketplace. (PDF)
- May 31, 1982
- The Problem of Seasonally Adjusted Money
- An essay on the effect that seasonal money supply fluctations have on the measurement of M1 and on Federal Reserve money supply management, with a discussion of the X-11 adjustment method and suggestions for improving it. (PDF)
- May 17, 1982
- The Steel Trigger Price Mechanism
- An examination of the 1978 steel trigger price mechanism, with a description of its operation and economic impact, and a discussion of events that led to its suspension in 1982. (PDF)
- May 3, 1982
- Bank Holding Companies? Participation in Credit Insurance Underwriting
- A discussion of the public and corporate benefits associated with credit insurance underwriting by bank holding companies in the Fourth Federal Reserve District, featuring rate reduction guidelines, performance ratios, and earnings comparisons. (PDF)
- April 19, 1982
- Unemployment Insurance: An Old Lesson for the New Federalism?
- An examination of America’s unemployment insurance system, covering its origin and financing, its solvency problems, and the potential effects of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 as an example of what might be expected from defederalizing government programs. (PDF)
- April 5, 1982
- Methods of Cash Management
- A description of cash management methods, covering collection, disbursement, and investment techniques. Topics include lock boxes, wire transfers, depository transfer checks, controlled disbursement, zero balancing, money-market instruments, and sweeping arrangements. (PDF)
- January 11, 1982
- Financial Services and Small Businesses
- A survey to determine the source of deposit and credit services to small commercial customers, using a sample of 368 Ohio firms with sales under $10 million. (PDF)