Article Review U.S. Consumer Prices Held in Check in...

The economy has been turbulent over the last few years, to say the least. Nearly everyone has been affected in one way or another. The article entitled â€Å"U.S. Consumer Prices Held in Check in January† describes the current economic situation in the United States and even abroad. At one point in time deflation was among the many concerns on everyone’s mind, but the article states that deflationary worries can now be a thing of the past. In fact, consumer prices are now on the rise which can largely be tied to rising energy prices. There are many macroeconomic indices which are touched upon in the article. The primary focus of the article is consumer price index (CPI), which has increased $1.6% over the last twelve months (Hauser, 2011). In†¦show more content†¦The FED decided to carry out its bond purchasing program in August to help prevent deflation (Hauser, 2011). The article could have turned out much differently if the FED did not step up and take act ion. In addition the FED has the authority to adjust interest rates in accordance with the current economic condition. Currently the FED is willing to curb inflation by adjusting the interest rates at a moment’s notice (Hauser, 2011). The FED’s invisible hand can sometimes help prevent major economic disasters. The living standards around the world vary greatly. Productivity is directly linked to a country’s standard of living. Productivity is the quantity of goods and services produced from each unit of labor input (Mankiw, 2008). Essentially, in countries where workers are more productive they generally enjoy a higher standard of living and vice versa. Britain has a standard of living which is very similar to that of the United States. Britain is currently suffering from economic hardships as well. Britain’s inflation rate hit four percent which is the highest level in two years. The rate of inflation in Britain can be directly linked to increased prices for commodities (Hauser, 2011). It seems that countries with higher living standards are better able to weather economic storms and can cope with increasing prices better than struggling nations. The price of food andShow MoreRelatedFedex Five Porters Forces and Swot Essays2618 Words   |  11 PagesIntroduction There is no doubt that FedEx Freight is a leading U.S. provider of less-than-truckload (LTL) freight services. It is known for exceptional service, reliability and on-time performance. (History of FedEx Operating Companies About FedEx) With the rapid rise of virtually instantaneous electronic mail, some wondered if FedEx overnight mail delivery was as important as it was in the past. Margaritis pointed out that the company received only 9.3 percent of its revenue from overnight expressRead MoreThe U.S. National Debt and Selected Reduction Plans and Interest Group Positions2037 Words   |  9 Pagesof the public debt at last count in January 2012 (The Bureau of Public Debt). 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