This paper provides details on a classroom experiment that focuses on returns to foreign assets given uncertain future exchange rates. Students are assigned the role of foreign analysts and decide how much to invest abroad given their expectations about future exchange rates. The experiment allows students to practice calculating the returns to…

The cryptocurrency Bitcoin has been prominently featured in the news recently. Its ascension in value has been nothing short of extraordinary. This article briefly explains what Bitcoin is and how it works. The more challenging question is what Bitcoin--this cryptographic breakthrough--really is: currency, like the U.S. dollar, an asset, more like…

Over the course of one semester, six empirical assignments that utilize FRED are used to introduce students of money and banking courses to the economic analysis required for the conduct of monetary policy. The first five assignments cover the following topics: inflation, bonds and stocks, monetary aggregates, the Taylor rule, and employment.…

The author offers innovative approaches to 3 topics that are typically only briefly mentioned (if at all) in money and banking courses. The first topic is a Treasury bill auction experiment in which students have an opportunity to participate directly. The results from a class of 14 money and banking students are used to explain how an instructor…

Competition for savings dollars has led to free gift bonus offers as incentive for new deposits. A concise new formula presented here permits calculation of the total yield using an inexpensive minicomputer. Yield is expressed in terms of interest rate, effective discount value of gift bonus, and period of deposit. (Author/MA)

Provides a graphical framework for presenting interactions among current account flows, capital account flows, and exchange rates. Suggests that the two type of flows must be considered separately in discussions of foreign exchange equilibrium and balance of payments flows. Supplies sample graphs and instructions for applying the framework to real…

Economic education is needed. Elementary school children should be taught the following concepts of economics: that economics is concerned with the problem of deciding how to make the best use of resources to satisfy human wants; that production and consumption are functions of any economic system; that in America competition in a market is the…

This is one of a series of essays adapted from articles in "On Reserve," a newsletter for economic educators published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. This pamphlet explains how public debt incurred by the federal government may not be necessarily bad from an economic perspective. The sections of the pamphlet include: (1)…

This booklet is a compilation of articles on money market instruments which were published in the "Monthly Review" of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond from 1964-1967. They have been revised to include recent changes in the various markets, as well as to reflect currently applicable laws and regulations. The articles are titled: The Money…

This pamphlet defines "national debt," explains how the national debt is incurred by the federal government, and what deficits are. The sections of the pamphlet include: (1) "Definitions"; (2) "History"; (3) "Measurements"; (4) "Problems"; and (5) "Strategies." The text is written in a…

Discusses real business cycle analysis, growth theory, and other economic concepts in the context of the rational expectations revolution in macroeconomics. Focuses on post-1982 research. Concludes that the rejuvenation of growth analysis is an encouraging development because it could lead to changes in welfare policy. (CFR)

Describes federal-funds activity in the United States and the Federal Reserve's role in controlling bank lending and money creation. Discusses the relationship between the money supply and the Federal Reserve, Federal Reserve interventions in the market, and how the Reserve sets the federal-funds rate. Also identifies players in the funds market.…

Part of a series of instructional packages for use in college level economics courses, this document contains nine lecture outlines on macroeconomics. The first section deals with basic macroeconomic concepts in terms of underlying microeconomic behavior, national income and product accounting, nominal and real GNP, actual and potential GNP, and…

This booklet examines the political events of the year 1912 in which the idea of the Federal Reserve System came into reality. Excerpts from reminiscences, letters and newspapers of the time give an inside look at the divergent forces and personalities that were brought together to form the central banking system of the United States. Sections of…

Purpose: The purpose of this research paper is to examine the implications of new banking regulations (Basel II) for the Irish SME sector. Training gaps are identified and recommendations to advance social capital networks are provided. Design/methodology/approach: The Irish SME dependence on external (bank) finance and their susceptibility to…