Macroeconomics Homework 7
Which of the following is true of the relationship between consumer sentiment and a recession?
Both directions of causality between consumer sentiment and recession are present in an economy.
Which of the following shows the correct sequence of events from an initial shock to consumption and the resulting multiplier effects?
Consumption declines, firms' revenue falls, labor demand shifts left, unemployment rises, and the multiplier effects continue their cycle.
Which series of events would result in a decrease in the inflation rate?
Increase the reserve requirement, which increases the federal funds rate and decreases the demand for loans, which in turn reduces money supply growth and reduces the rate of inflation.
Which of the following statements is true about economic fluctuations?
Investment and business expansion would show co-movement.
___________ used the concepts of animal spirits and sentiment to explain economic fluctuations.
John Maynard Keynes
Does the chart 'University of Michigan: Consumer Sentiment' prove that Keynes' theory is correct?
No
In 1973, the major oil-producing nations of the world declared an oil embargo. The price of oil, a key source of energy, increased. This led to widespread inflation as costs of production increased steeply. The resulting fall in GDP and employment led the United States into a recession. Which of the business cycle theories explained in the chapter would best fit this explanation of the 1970s recession?
Real business cycle theory
Which of the following statements correctly describe co-movements that are historically observed in the data?
Real consumption moves positively with real investment. Unemployment moves negatively with real GDP.
Identify the impact of a lower federal funds rate on the following factors: Rate of Inflation Interest rates faced by households and firms for borrowing Growth rate of the money supply Rate of loan growth to households and firms
Rise Fall Rise Rise
Based on the information given in the chart, which of the following is likely to be true according to Keynes' animal spirits view of economic fluctuations?
The decline in consumer sentiment will likely lead to the deepening of recessions.
During the financial crisis of 2007-2008, many central banks, including the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan, lowered their federal funds rate (or the non-U.S. equivalent) to around zero. The Bank of Japan took an additional, unusual measure: it introduced a negative short-term interest rate on excess reserves. Faced with a negative interest rate, banks must pay to lend their excess reserves to other banks. Given this information, which of the following is likely to happen as a result of this policy change?
The demand curve for reserves will shift to the left
Which of the following inferences can be made from the chart?
The direction of causality between recessions and consumer sentiment is indeterminate.
An old saying goes: "Nothing succeeds like success." How could this saying relate to Keynes's animal spirits view of economic fluctuations?
When people succeed, they become confident and optimistic, which can lead to actions that stimulate further success.
A multiplier is
an economic mechanism that causes an initial shock to be amplified by follow-on effects.
An example of a multiplier is when
an increase in business confidence causes firms to increase production and hire employees, leading to an increase in household spending, causing firms to further increase production and employment. a drop in consumer confidence reduces household spending, causing firms to cut production and lay off employees, leading to a greater reduction in household spending.
An economic expansion begins
at the end of a recession
According to his theory of animal spirits and sentiment, changes in sentiment cause economic fluctuations through ____________.
changes in household consumption and firm investment.
Recessions are periods in which the economy _____, while economic expansions are defined as the periods _____
contracts between recessions
During recessions, there is a ___ in consumer sentiment
dip
The long-term real interest rate moves ___ with the federal funds rate. If the federal funds rate falls, the long-term nominal interest rate ___ and the inflation expectations respond _____
directly falls minimally
Real business cycle theory ____________.
emphasizes the role of changing productivity and technology in causing economic fluctuations.
There is an increase in the reserves held at the central bank because of open market operations conducted by the Fed. Suppose this activity results in a change in the federal funds rate from 5.5 percent to 3.5 percent and that this change is going to last for 4 years, at which point the federal funds rate will revert to its old level. The long-term inflation expectations over the 10 years is constant at 1.7 percent. In this case: The 10-year nominal interest rate ___ from 5.5% to ____% The 10-year expected real interest rate ___ from ____% to ____%
falls; 4.7 falls; 3.8; 3
Suppose an economy has been growing for the last five quarters. It is more likely to ___ in the next quarter
grow
Real ____ growth tends to be more volatile than real ___ growth
investment consumption
Okun's Law
is usually an accurate representation of the data.
An economic expansion begins
just after the trough of a recession.
According to the concept of persistence in the rate of growth, if the economy contracts this quarter, it will
likely contract next quarter
How do wage flexibility and downward wage rigidity affect the extent of unemployment in the economy when the demand for labor falls? When the demand for labor falls, the fall in employment is ___ when real wages are flexible and _______ when wages are downwardly rigid.
limited amplified
The average number of initial applications for unemployment insurance is likely to be ____ with real GDP
negatively correlated
Consumer sentiment is likely to be ______ with real GDP
positively correlated
The amount of new building permits for residential buildings is likely to be ___ with real GDP
positively correlated
The amount of new orders for capital goods unrelated to defense is likely to be ___ with real GDP
positively correlated
The average weekly hours worked by manufacturing workers is likely to be ____ with real GDP
positively correlated
The S&P 500 stock index is likely to be _____________ with real GDP.
positively correlated
When the Fed attempts to reduce the federal funds rate, it can do so with the help of the following three tools: By ____ the quantity of bank reserves through open market operations. By ____ the reserve requirement By ___ the interest rate it pays on reserves
raising reducing reducing
Economic Fluctuations are
short-run changes in the growth of GDP
When the inflation rate starts to rise above the Fed's inflation target, the Fed will try to _________ the rate of money supply growth.
slow down
An economic expansion is defined as
the period between two economic recessions.
The Federal Reserve influences the long-run real interest rate through
the short-term federal funds rate
Which of the following explains why a central bank would choose to lower interest rates on reserves below zero?
to stimulate the economy
In the United States, recessions are usually defined as
two consecutive quarters of negative growth in real GDP.
Recessions and expansions have ___ lengths, which explains why they ____ a repetitive, easily predictable cycle. This is why there is ____ of turning points
variable do not follow limited predictability
Okun's Law states that ____________.
when growth in real GDP is above 2%, unemployment drops and when it is below 2%, unemployment increases.
During an economic downturn of any duration,
consumption, investment, and GDP decrease while unemployment increases.