MacroEconomic Indicators: GDP, CPI, Unemployment, Interest Rates CASE

Case Assignment

There are probably a thousand macro economic indicators, some measure the overall national economy, some are more limited in scope. The three most often quoted and publicized are the Gross Domestic Production Index (GDP), the Consumer Price Inflation Index (CPI) and the Unemployment Index. Please complete the short answer questions regarding these three indicators:

1. Use the table below:

Table 6-1

a. What is the value of GDP?

b. In each of the following cases, indicate if GDP is affected, under what category and what happens to GDP. Be sure to explain why or why it is not included.

- You buy a used textbook from one of your classmates.

- You buy a new umbrella.

- Ella, a French tourist, has a haircut in a salon in San Francisco.

- Oklahoma cleans up after a devastating tornado.

- A pension payment to a retired military person

2. Why do some people gain and other people lose from inflation and deflation?

3. Define the natural rate of unemployment. Identify three factors that may cause the natural rate to change over time.

4. What is structural unemployment? State the various reasons due to which it can arise in an economy.

Assignment Expectations

Use information from the modular background readings as well as any good quality resource you can find. Make sure you cite all resources you use and provide a reference list at the end of your paper.

Length: 4-5 typed and double-spaced pages.

In addition to the overall quality, depth, grammar, and organization of the paper, the following will, in particular, be assessed:

1. Your ability to interpret the three macroeconomic indicators.

2. Some in-text references to modular background readings (APA formatting required).