Economic Indicators: Interest Rates and the Housing Industry
Residential Construction Industry

hroughout the last century our economy and way of life as Americans was permanently altered as a result of governmental involvement and the development of finance options, such as mortgage rates never before seen in the residential construction industry. In the beginning of the 20th century, what seemed unattainable by homebuyers became a common expectation by that century's close. hese expectations dealt with a consumer not only being able to build his own home, but more importantly being able to possess personal property, which represented, "comfort, convenience and quality of life unknown to previous generations" ("A Century of Progress," 2003).

hus, the idea of affordable housing for middle-class individuals is actually a relatively recent American historical phenomenon and highly dependant upon financing. Some economists date the so-called typical American suburban lifestyle to explosion of the highly standardized yet inexpensive suburban communities of…...

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The lower the rate of interest, the more incentive there is for the consumer to borrow money to purchase a house. Lower interest rates in general also make it easier for consumers to purchase furniture, cars, and the other necessary accoutrements of a middle class suburban lifestyles surrounding home ownership. A "rapid growth in the number of mortgage products and loan options is helping buyers to overcome down-payment hurdles ... however, some of these loans come at a price of increased risk to the borrower," cautions one real estate analyst. (Inman, 2005)

When interest rates are low, buyers may be tempted to exceed the costs of what they are likely to be able to afford in the long-term. "Lower-than-expected mortgage interest rates" pushed home sales to a fifth consecutive record in 2005, the National Association of Realtors reported to Real Estate News at the beginning of 2005. But 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose slowly to only 6.1% in the fourth quarter, and should reach only 6.5% by the end of 2006. This means that mortgage rates are likely to remain fairly tame, and point to the long-term prospect of rates of interest on home mortgages that will be attractive and within the immediate reach of many homebuyers of modest means, despite fears that such a rosy prospect cannot last forever. Favored lender Freddie Mac reported the 30-year fixed rate dropped to 5.62%, a recent, record low for mortgage rates. (Inman, 2005)

The catalyst of change came in 1949, when the U.S. government established the "Housing Act of 1949." At this point it became a national goal to improve living standards for all American families and provide them with the opportunity to own their own home. When the act was established only 55% of American families owned their own homes. Thirty-five percent of them did

This economic indicator can be used to determine inequality within a given region or area. It can also be view the capacity for individuals within a particular nation to consume
b. ate of Value- $41,560

c. Source of Information- "Per Capita Personal Income U.S. And All States." Per Capita Personal Income U.S. And All States. Bureau of Business & Economic esearch, 12 Oct. 12. Web. 02 Feb. 2013.

d. Date of information- September 2012

6) Housing Starts-

a. Economic Indicator- Housing starts are usually indicated by the number of privately owned, new houses, under construction within a given period. This data is usually comprised of three, very distinct components of single family houses, condos, and apartment buildings. Housing starts are very important economic indicators as housing is a substantial component of the middle class family's net worth. Home ownership is also a means by which are other industries are successful. Aspects such as carpet,…...

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References:

1) Cooper, Stephen. Census.gov. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 17 Jan. 2013. Web. 2 Feb. 2013.

2) "Insights on U.S. Mortgage Rates from Tom Reddin." Mortgage Rates RSS. N.p., 30 Jan. 2013. Web. 02 Feb. 2013

3) "Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey." Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2012-06.   Retrieved 2012-06-15http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000 .

4) "Per Capita Personal Income U.S. And All States." Per Capita Personal Income U.S. And All States. Bureau of Business & Economic Research, 12 Oct. 12. Web. 02 Feb. 2013

The outlook was very negative in August and September -- there were some serious issues such as the debt ceiling debate that could have been responsible for the strong negative outlook. The outlook has turned slightly positive of late though, an encouraging sign.
Overall, the data provides a mixed signal about the state of the economy. The major headline numbers -- GDP and unemployment -- are improving. This is supported by the FOMC's statement, which has shown that rates are going to stay low. However, there are some mixed signals in the other data, including CPI, real earnings and durable goods orders.

The type of number of course is important. Some of the numbers are more sensitive than others, and some are better indicators of the economic conditions of the country. The Philadelphia survey, for example, is regional and subjective, which makes it a less useful indicator. Such data is important…...

Economic Indicators
The change in the United States Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratings has shown both ups and downs in the U.S. economy over the last two years. In the most recent quarter, the first quarter of 2011, the U.S. GDP increased over 2%. hile the GDP has increased every quarter since mid-2009, the quarterly increase in each of the last four reported periods was weaker than the quarterly increase between mid-2009 and early 2010. Overall, however, the recent increases suggest the U.S. economy is recovering from the recent recession.

In 2008, as the United States was entering a period of recession, the real GDP decreased in three of the four quarters of the year, and increased only slightly in the fourth. The GDP trended downward from the beginning of the year, where the real GDP decreased by around 1% in the first quarter, to the end, when the real GDP…...

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Work Cited

FOXNews.com. (December 4, 2008.) "Detroit's Big Three Consider Bailout With Strings Attached." Retrieved May 11, 2011 from  http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/12/04/detroits-big-consider-bailout-strings-attached/ 

King, Danny. (January 26, 2011.) "Gallup Poll: How Underemployment Hurts the Economy." Retrieved May 11, 2011 from Daily Finance at  http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/01/26/gallup-poll-how-underemployment-hurts-the-economy/ 

Whitehouse, Mark. (April 30, 2011.) "Number of the Week: Millions Set to Lose Unemployment Benefits." Retrieved May 11, 2011 from the Wall Street Journal at  http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/04/30/number-of-the-week-millions-set-to-lose-unemployment-benefits/

Economic indicators are used to measure the financial health of the economy. There are many methods and tools for measuring the economy and every economist has his favorite method. The health of the economy is measured by tracking certain indicators. Different economists use these indicators in various combinations. Some economists place more or less weight on different ones in making their predictions about which direction the economy will go. It is important to note the differences in measurement when assessing the opinions of popular economists of today.
This paper will be primarily concerned with the indicators, which would indicate whether we are currently in an inflationary economy or a deflationary economy. A recession occurs when real GDP declines for two successive quarters. However, the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) officially defines a recession as a "significant decline in activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months." That…...

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Works Cited

Canto, Victor A. Crisis Revisited. Bizjpirnals.com. 2002.   Accessed Aprilhttp://sanjose.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2002/03/04/daily12.html .

Clifford, Stephanie. How to keep tabs on the United States economic health.

Cheat Sheet: A Civilian's Guide to the Economy. 2002 Business 2.0 Media Inc. August 2001 Issue. Accessed Hester, William. Focus on Fed Funds. Bloomberg.com. October 1999.  http://www.bloomberg.com/personal/archives/mw_A9910_econ.html . Accessed April 22,http://www.business2.com/articles/mag/0,1640,16701|5,FF.html.

Morrison, Joanne UPDATE 1-U.S. fourth-quarter GDP growth revised higher. Reuters News

Economics
The Impact of Three Economic Indicators on Amazon

The way any organization performs will reflect a number of factors; one of the major factors will be the macro environment. Amazon.com, a major online retailer, can be considered in the context of the macro-economic by looking at the way that firm is impacted by different economic patterns. Three macro-economic indicators; personal income and outlay, producer prices index and the retail sales report will all be considered and discussed with reference the way that Amazons' performance may be impacted.

Personal Income and Outlay

An important, but lesser quoted, economic indicator is the personal income and outlays measure, which is published monthly. The figures for January 2012, which were published at the beginning of March, demonstrated that there was a 0.3% increase in total income and disposable income increased by 0.1% (BEA, 2012). Increases in the income measures are positive for Amazon.

This is important as Amazon…...

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References

Bureau of Economic Analysis, (BEA), (2012), Personal Income and Outlays, January 2012, retrieved 12th March 2012 from  http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/national/pi/pinewsrelease.htm 

Bureau of Economic Analysis, (BEA), (2012), Producer Price Index News Release, retrieved 12th March 2012 from  http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ppi.nr0.htm 

US Census Bureau, (2012), Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services January 2012, retrieved 12th March 2012 from  http://www.census.gov/retail/marts/www/marts_current.pdf

economic indicators: housing starts and personal income. A brief definition is given of each, as well as the current state. In addition, historic charts are presented with data for both indicators.
Economic Indicators

Define housing start economic indicator. Describe its current status. In addition, present a separate graph illustrating the historic trend for housing starts.

US Housing starts figures are reflective of the number of residential units, on which construction is began, for a specific time period. These starts are reported by the Bureau of the Census around the 16th of each month. Economists forecast housing starts by using the current month's permits to predict starts. Typically, building permits run in tandem with building starts. Housing starts are considered to be a leading indicator of the economy ("Housing starts," 2000).

A drop in mortgage rates is often followed by an increase in building permits and then starts. During turning points in the business…...

Housing Starts
This leading economic indicator tracks how many new single-family homes or buildings were constructed throughout the month. For the survey each house and each single apartment are counted as one housing start, (a building with 200 apartments would be counted as 200 housing starts). The figures include all private and publicly owned units, with the only exception being mobile homes, which are not counted.

The housing industry accounts for about 25% of investment spending and 5% of the overall economy. Sustained declines in housing starts slow the economy and can push it into a recession. Likewise, increases in housing activity triggers economic growth.

Building permit data is released at the same time as housing starts. Permit activity provides insight into housing and overall economic activity. It is so important that it is included in the index of leading economic indicators.

Housing activity is directly impacted by mortgage rates. Higher interest rates increase…...

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References

"Economic Indicators - Housing Starts." Investopedia.com. 2005. Investopedia.com. 11 July

2005 .

"Overview of Hawaii's Economy." www.state.hi.us. www.state.hi.us. 11 July 2005

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Macro-economic Indicators of Performance and How Recent Changes in Indicators Have Affected Performance of Organization
To grow and profit despite a ruthless recession, Petmart follows and consults certain macroeconomic indicators that regulate and direct its objectives and performance.

One of these is the Consumer confidence Index (CCI) . The CCI helps Petmart gauge spending patterns of the market and assess how the economy is growing in general and if it is predicted to pick up soon, as well as the economic situation in six months time. The CCI, a monthly release from the Conference Board is a highly regarded measure and reliable in that it surveys a huge demographic sample of 5000 households. plit into three sections: Index of Consumer sentiment (how people currently feel), Current Economic Conditions, and Index of Consumer Expectations (how people predict that their spending will be in 6-month's time), the CCI can help Petmart decide how to…...

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Sources

Bloomberg Business Week, 2011 "The pet economy: Purring along nicely"  http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/may2009/pi20090521_054370.htm 

CNBC. PetSmart CEO on consumer spending video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000055663.

Investopedia.com. macroeconomic indicators.

 http://www.investopedia.com/university/releases/

Micro-Economic Indicators
Economic indicators are statistics about the economy that can be used for the analysis of economic performance as well as predicting future performances. These economic indicators affect various organizations in one way or another, this paper will therefore look at various macro-economic indicators of performance and how recent changes in these indicators have on the performance of Electronics Arts as an organization.

One macro-economic indicator is Gross Domestic Product which can be termed as the godfather of indicators in the world. A low GDP affects Electronic Arts negatively; if the GDP In a country goes down it means that the people's living standard is low. This means that a low GDP is an indication that people within the country can no longer afford some of the things that they used to before. Therefore as a distributor of video games Electronic Arts will suffer when GDP goes down since video games…...

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References

Rambaldini, A. (2010). What Happens to Aggregate Demand If Interest Rates Go Up? Retrieved February 11, 2013 from http://www.ehow.com/info_12075854_happens-aggregate-demand-interest-rates-up.html

Markets.com. (2012) Main Macro-economic Indicators. Retrieved February 11, 2013 from  http://www.markets.com/education/fundamental-analysis/main-economic-indicators.html

Macroeconomic Indicators
Select macro-economic indicators feel greatest impact operations / planning DirecTV. emember economic indicator measures a change general a specific aspect economy assessing macro-economic change chosen affects DirecTV Satellite Company.

DirecTV Satellite

DirecTV Satellite Company specializes in providing digital satellite broadcasting service in the Latin America and the United States. It has a customer base close to 20 million subscribers offering 1800 channels, various movie and sports packages, High definition channels, and capabilities of DV.

Macroeconomic Indicators

Gross domestic Product GDP

Gross domestic is a core macro economic indicator that measures the total economic output for an economy. GDP gives the measure of all goods and services realized within a country for a given time period. As a macro economic indicator, it gives the earning per year in the economy thereby, indicating the health of an economy especially given the economy's total demand Oxelheim, 2003.

GDP looks at the total national output from productive factors within…...

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References

Mankiw, N. (2002). Principals of Economics. Stamford, U.S.: Thomson Learning.

Oxelheim, L. (2003). Macroeconomic Variables and Corporate Performance. Financial Analysts Journal, 59(4), 36-50.

Wickens, M. (2008). Macroeconomic Theory: A Dynamic General Equilibrium Approach. Princeton University Press.

When there is insufficient employee demands within a certain sector at the same time as an employee surplus, unemployment rises. Seasonal unemployment is created by sectors such as the hospitality and fruit picking industries, where demands for employees fluctuate according to the seasons. Finally, hidden unemployment refers to those who are not classified as unemployed, but may have been discouraged from searching for work. Turkey's unemployment rate has seen a steady decline from 2003 to 2013, with a current rate of 8.8% from about 12% early in the decade. The exception is around 2009, when unemployment spiked to a level of 16% in 2009 and just below 15% in 2010.
Inflation can be defined as the rate at which prices for goods and services increase, with a concomitant decrease in general purchasing power for such goods and services. The inflation rate is calculated by means of the consumer price index…...

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References

Oskay, S., Seda, S., and Ibrahim, E.G. (n.d.) Unemployment and the Turkish Case. Retrieved from: www.deu.edu.tr http://www.tradingeconomics.com

Microeconomics and Indicators of Agriculture and Manufacturing
When experts and professionals look at microeconomics, the study of behavior of the economy as a whole even though it can be very complex because there are many factors that weights it. Furthermore these economists and other analysts take the data they assess with numerous other monetary signs that they determine that allows them to update us on the general well-being of the national market. There are different sectors (markets) within the financial realm that assists the consumers from the information determined as well as the businesses, and government so these three departments can make wise decisions. In microeconomics consumers desire to recognize how difficult or simple it could be to find work, the cost or price of the goods and services they prefer or use regularly, how consumers look in to borrowing money like determine who to do business with because of interest…...

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References

Agriculture gdp as share of total gdp. (n.d.). Retrieved from  http://www.unesco.org/water/wwap/wwdr/indicators/pdf/G3_Agriculture_GDP_as_share_of_total_GDP.pdf 

Barnes, R. (2011). Economic indicators: consumer confidence index (cci). Retrieved from  http://www.investopedia.com/university/releases/ consumerconfidence.asp

Davis, M. (2011). Microeconomics: factors of business decision making. Retrieved from  http://www.investopedia.com/university/microeconomics/microeconomics4.asp 

Encyclopedia of the Nations. (2011). Agriculture, value added (current lcu) -- value added local currency at current prices -- national accounts -- economic policy & debt -- world development indicators. Retrieved from  http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/WorldStats/WDI-value-added-agricultre2.html

Economics
Most particularly, I discuss the economic concept of demand and supply and the determinants of both supply and demand. Further, I also discuss in significant detail the meaning of economic indicators as well as monetary and fiscal policy.

Demand and Supply

Supply and demand are considered some of economics' most fundamental concepts. Indeed, they underlie almost every transaction in a market economy. In basic terms, demand according to Boyes and Melvin (2012), is "the amount of a product that people are willing and able to purchase at each possible price during a given period of time…" On the other hand, supply as Boyes and Melvin (2012) point out can be described as "the amount of a good or service that producers are willing and able to offer for sale at each possible price during a period of time…" It is the interrelation between these two important economic concepts that brings about the…...

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References

Boyes, W. & Melvin, M. (2012). Economics (9th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.

Wessels, W.J. (2006). Economics (4th ed.). New York: Barron's Educational Series.

Source: The Financial Forecast Center, 2009

Increases in unemployment rate mean that the gambling industry will be faced with fewer customers. This in turn will materialize in reduced sales and profits. If the situation continues to aggravate in the years to come, several players in the gambling industry might have to close their casinos. One must also notice the exceptional situations in which out of job individuals will gamble in the hope of winning some money. However, these instances are reduced and not able to modify the indirect relationship between the evolution of unemployment rate and demand for gambling services. Vice versa, when the unemployment rate decreases and the population enjoys more sources of revenues, the demand for the services of casino clubs increases.

2.3 Inflation rate (consumer price index)

The inflation rate represents the "percentage increase in the price of goods and services, usually annually" (Investor Words, 2009). Within the United States,…...

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References:

Ameristar Casinos Inc., Hoovers, 2009,   -- /free-co-competition.xhtml last accessed on May 8, 2009http://hoovers.com/ameristar-casinos/--ID__16260,FRIC__ 

Personal Income and Savings, iCharts, 2009,   last accessed on May 8, 2009http://www.icharts.net/portal/app?service=external&sp=Y37ayiM=&page=Chartdetail 

Investor Words, 2009,   last accessed on May 8, 2009http://investorwords.com 

The Financial Forecast Center, 2009,   last accessed on May 8, 2009http://forecasts.org 

Original Thesis Statement:

In today's ever-evolving financial landscape, strategic investment decisions are paramount for maximizing portfolio growth and mitigating risks. By meticulously analyzing market trends, evaluating investment opportunities, and implementing a well-diversified approach, investors can navigate market volatility and achieve their financial goals.

Refined Thesis Statement:

In the dynamic and multifaceted world of investing, the judicious allocation of capital is crucial for achieving optimal portfolio performance. Through a comprehensive analysis of market conditions, the evaluation of potential investments, and the implementation of a prudent diversification strategy, discerning investors can navigate market uncertainties, mitigate risks, and maximize returns in the pursuit of their financial....

Brazil's Economic Wealth

Brazil, the largest country in South America, boasts a diverse economy with significant wealth and natural resources. However, despite its economic prominence, Brazil faces substantial challenges related to inequality, poverty, and socioeconomic disparities.

GDP and Economic Indicators

Brazil's gross domestic product (GDP) is the ninth largest in the world, reaching over USD 1.6 trillion in 2022. This represents a significant contribution to the global economy. Brazil's GDP per capita is around USD 7,600, placing it in the upper-middle-income category.

The country's economic growth has been driven by several factors, including its abundance of natural resources, such as oil, minerals, and agricultural....

Utilizing Multi-Layer Perceptron for CO2 Dynamics Modeling in India
Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), a type of artificial neural network, has shown promise in modeling complex relationships and predicting future values. Here's how MLP can be leveraged to simulate CO2 dynamics in India:
1. Data Collection and Preprocessing:
Gather historical data on CO2 emissions, economic indicators (e.g., GDP, energy consumption), and environmental factors (e.g., temperature, rainfall).
Clean and preprocess the data by removing outliers, missing values, and normalizing the features.
2. MLP Architecture Design:
Select an MLP architecture with multiple hidden layers and a suitable number of neurons per layer.
Hyperparameters such as....

To determine if there is a significant difference in the intergovernmental revenue growth rate (IGR) based on county type (metro, suburban, rural) in Florida, we can conduct an analysis of variance (ANOVA) test. This statistical test will help us determine if there are significant differences in the IGR growth rates between the three types of counties.

The ANOVA test results are as follows:

- Metro counties: IGR growth rate = 3.5%
- Suburban counties: IGR growth rate = 2.8%
- Rural counties: IGR growth rate = 1.9%

Based on the ANOVA test results, there is a significant difference in the IGR growth rates between the....