Timely Topics

The Federal Reserve is currently undertaking a review of its monetary policy framework. Why is the Fed doing this review? What does it entail? What will policymakers do with the information gathered? St. Louis Fed President James Bullard addresses these and related questions.

Ray Boshara—senior adviser and the director of the Center for Household Financial Stability at the St. Louis Fed—talks about the Center’s first five years, its purpose and its future. He discusses lessons learned when looking from a balance sheet perspective at the recovery following the Great Recession.

B. Ravikumar, senior vice president at the St. Louis Fed, talks about the role international trade plays in cross-country income differences. He discusses the study of economic development, who wins and who loses in trade, barriers to trade and more.

Julie Stackhouse, executive vice president at the St. Louis Fed, talks about the Federal Reserve’s role in bank supervision. She discusses the critical nature of this function during and since the financial crisis, the changing landscape for community banks, the growth of fintech, and more.

What is nominal GDP targeting, and how does it differ from inflation targeting? What would be some of the advantages and disadvantages of using nominal GDP targeting? Have any central banks used it? St. Louis Fed President James Bullard addresses these and related questions.

The 2017 federal tax overhaul reduced the corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%. In this podcast, Economist Don Schlagenhauf discusses the paper he wrote with two co-authors, “Corporate Income Tax, Legal Form of Organization, and Employment” and what their models say the optimal rate is.

In this Timely Topics podcast, Senior Vice President Robert Hopkins reflects on the Little Rock Branch’s 100 years of history, from its start in payments to its focus on economic education and community development.

St. Louis Fed economist Don Schlagenhauf discusses his research about household debt levels and delinquency rates since the Great Recession. He talks about the metrics used to monitor debt levels in the Eighth District and said he doesn’t see any problem areas.

St. Louis Fed economist Paulina Restrepo-Echavarria discusses her research on “search and matching,” particularly as it relates to the marriage market. She notes that studying the marriage market is important because it has implications for income inequality and taxation.

Our Memphis regional executive and senior vice president, Douglas Scarboro, talks about how the Memphis Branch of the St. Louis Fed has changed over the past 100 years—from cotton receipts to cash services to the King himself—Elvis Presley.

Why do governments borrow? What happens when a country defaults on its debt? How does a country get out of a debt crisis? St. Louis Fed economist Paulina Restrepo-Echavarria answers these and other related questions.

Rising inequality in both income and wealth are at levels comparable to the 1920s, before the Great Depression. St. Louis Fed economist Miguel Faria-e-Castro talks about the link between fiscal policy and inequality in the United States.

By now, just about everyone has heard of bitcoin, but what’s beyond that? Listen to St. Louis Fed economist David Andolfatto talk about the details of cryptocurrency, blockchain and regulation and how they differ – or don’t – from banking systems past and present.

St. Louis Fed economist Ana Maria Santacreu talks about the rise in innovation around the globe. She also explains three ways to measure innovation.

Why should you care about the debt oil-producing countries hold? St. Louis Fed economist Paulina Restrepo-Echavarria explains her research on oil-producing countries in the developing world—in particular, their likelihood of defaulting on their public debt. Spoiler alert: Having more oil doesn’t guarantee that a country won’t default.

Hear voices of past economic policymakers and learn about their sometimes bumpy relationships. David Wheelock, St. Louis Fed deputy director of research, gives context, and library director Katrina Stierholz describes resources in online digital library FRASER (Federal Reserve Archival System for Economic Research).

On April 1, 2018, James Bullard marked his 10th anniversary as president and CEO of the St. Louis Fed. In a series of conversations with his chief of staff, Cletus Coughlin, President Bullard reflected on his role as a policymaker, an academic and a CEO. What’s most fascinating about his journey is that his appointment coincided with the worst financial crisis and recession since the Great Depression.

Get to know FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data), a database from the St. Louis Fed that is free to use. With more than 500,000 data series, you will find something you are curious about or need.  Start with some basics, such as the unemployment rate, consumer price index, gross domestic product or maybe commute times, crime statistics and household income.

What do economists track during the holiday season to determine if it will be good for the economy?  St. Louis Fed economist Kevin Kliesen discusses retail sales (online and in-store), personal consumption, consumer sentiment, payment methods, debt and more.