Business Economics articles from April 2005

Business Economics archives from April 2005

From the editor.(Editorial)
April 1, 2005... This issue of Business Economics illustrates the diversity of concerns of business economists and others who use economics in business. Some of the articles address important current topics that are likely to be important for some time to come....

The Chinese RMB: its value, its peg, and its future; Trade imbalances have more to do with the U.S. than with China.
April 1, 2005... The valuation of the Chinese renminbi (RMB) has drawn lots of attention lately and a great deal of pressure on the part of developed nations for revaluation. In addressing the issue of valuation, this paper develops a new purchasing power...

Competition in local telecommunications: there's more competition than you think.
April 1, 2005... The Telecommunications Act of 1996 created a framework for competition in local telecommunications. Under its rules and under the jurisdiction of state regulatory authorities, competitive local telephone companies were to gain access to some or...

There is no housing bubble in the USA: housing activity will remain at high levels in 2005 and beyond.
April 1, 2005... There is no evidence of a housing "bubble" in the United States and housing demand should stay strong for years to come. Three major factors lead to this conclusion. First, the 77 million baby boomers are approaching the peak home ownership...

Improving the accuracy of recent survey forecasts of the T-bill rate: other survey information can help.
April 1, 2005... This study concentrates on the Survey of Professional Forecasters (SPF) to demonstrate a way to improve the consensus forecasts of interest rates. It promotes the notion that, in improving the survey forecast accuracy of a variable, one should...

Measuring vulnerability to U.S. foreign economic sanctions: focused sanctions reduce costs to business.
April 1, 2005... Economic sanctions are an important instrument of U.S. foreign policy. While politicians look favorably on unilateral economic sanctions as a policy instrument, many scholars attribute significant long-term economic costs to the United States...

Integration of U.S. macroeconomic accounts: a progress report.(FOCUS ON STATISTICS)
April 1, 2005... The Commission of the European Communities et al. (1993), on behalf of the United Nations, and the International Monetary Fund (1993) developed international guidelines for macroeconomic accounts. They recommended the preparation for each major...

Digging into construction data.(FOCUS ON INDUSTRIES AND MARKETS)
April 1, 2005... Construction is a large, diverse, and--lately--fast-growing sector of the U.S. economy, comprising several distinct categories of activity. Construction accounts for roughly five percent of non-farm payroll employment and 12 percent of...

Modernizing U.S. antitrust law: the role of technology and innovation.(FORUM ON EMERGING ISSUES)
April 1, 2005... Antitrust law is an important feature of the U.S. business environment, profoundly affecting the strategies and actions of firms of all sizes and in many industries. Furthermore, antitrust litigation can adversely affect the competitive outlook...

Lives at Risk: Single-Payer National Health Insurance Around the World.(Book Review)
April 1, 2005... Lives at Risk: Single-Payer National Health Insurance Around the World By John C. Goodman, Gerald L. Musgrave, and Devon M. Herrick. Foreword by Milton Friedman. 2004. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. (In cooperation with...

The Trader's Guide to Key Economic Indicators.(Book Review)
April 1, 2005... The Trader's Guide to Key Economic Indicators By Richard Yamarone. 2004. Princeton, NJ: Bloomberg Press. Pp. 267. $39.95 hardcover. This book is another in the growing number of those that are aimed at investors who are now managing...