Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Unit 7 cont. - Absolute & Comparative Advantages

Unit 7 - Absolute & Comparative Advantages


Absolute Advantage: -Individual- exists when a person can produce more of a certain good/ service than someone else in the same amount of time (or can produce a good using the least  amount of resources.)
 National-exists when a country can produce more of a good/ service than another county can in the same time period.


Comparative Advantage:
-A person or a nation has a comparative advantage in the production of a product when it can produce the product at a lower domestic opportunity cost than can a trading partner.
               
Specialization and Trade:
-Gains from trade are based on comparative advantage, not absolute advantage.

Examples of Output Problem:
- per acre 
-miles per gallon
-word per minute
-apple per tree
-television produced per hour


Examples of Input Problems:
-number of hours to do a job
-number of acres to feed a horse
-number of gallons of paint to paint a house

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd_qs8ueIWw
Visit the link provided to learn more.


Unit 7- Foreign Exchange

Unit 7 - Foreign Exchange

Foreign Exchange:

-  Buying and selling of currency-Any transactions that occurs in the balance of payments necessitates foreign exchange-Exchange Rate : is determined in the foreign currency markets








Changes in Exchange Rates:

-Exchange rates (e) are a function of supply and demand for currency- an increase in the supply of a currency- a decrease in supply of a currency will increase the exchange rate of currency- increase in demand for currency will increase the exchange rate of currency- decrease in demand for a currency will decrease the exchange rate of currency
Appreciation and Depreciation:·         Appreciation of currency occurs when exchange rate of that currency increases (e^)
·         Depreciation of a currency occurs when the exchange rate of that currency decreases


Exchange Rate Determinants:

    -Consumer tastes-Relative income-Relative price level-Speculation
    -Exports and Imports:·         Exchange rate is a determinant of both exports and imports
    ·         Appreciation of the dollar causes American goods to be relatively more expensive and foreign goods to be relatively cheaper, thus reducing exports and increasing imports
    ·         Depreciation of the dollar causes American goods to be relatively cheaper and foreign goods to be relatively more expensive thus increasing exports and reducing imports


    Floating/ Flexible Rates:

      Depends upon supply and demand of that currency vs. other currencies. Very sensitive to business cycle / provide options for investments
      Fixed Rates: Based on a country's willingness to distribute currency and to control the amount
      As two currencies trade:
      1.    One supply line will ∆, the other demand line will ∆.
      2.    They will move in the same direction
      3.    One currency will appreciate, the other will depreciate



      Unit 5 cont.- Balance of Payments

      Unit 5 - Balance of Payments

      What is it? Measure of many inflows and outflows between the U.S and the rest of the world (ROW)
        Inflows are referred to as CREDITS
        Outflows are referred to as DEBITS 
        Balanced of payments is 8 into 3 accounts
        -current
        -capital/financial
        -official reserves








        Current Account
          Balance of trade or net exports
          -Exports of goods/services.
          -Exports create a credit to balance of payments.
          -Imports create a debit to the balance of payments. 
          -Net foreign income
          -Income earned by U.S foreign held U.S assets.
          -Net transfers (Tend to be unilateral)
          -Foreign aid-debit to the current account




          Capital/Financial Account
            -Balance of capital ownership 
            -includes purchase of both real and financial assets.
            -Direct investment in the U.S is a credit to the capital account.
            -Direct investment by the U.S firms/ individuals in a foreign country are debits to the capital account. 
            Purchase of domestic financial assets by foreigners represents a credit to the capital account.
            -United Arab Emirates \wealth funds purchases a large state in the NASPAQ 




            Relationship between current and capital account
              -Remember double entry bookkeeping.
              Current account and capital account should zero each other out. 
              -That is if current account has a negative balance (deficit), then the capital account should then have a positive balance (Surplus)

              Official Reserves
                 Foreign currency holdings of the U.S Federal Reserve System 
                When there is a balance of payments surplus the Fed accumulates foreign currency and debits the balance of payments. 
                When there is a balance of payments deficit the Fed depletes its reserves of foreign currency and credits the balance of payments. 
                Official reserves zero the balance of payments. 

                Active V. Passive Official Reserves
                  -U.S is passive in its use of official reserves. It does not seek to manipulate the money exchange rate.
                  • Balance of Trade
                  Goods + goods
                  Exports  Inputs

                  Balance on goods and serves
                    Goods + Services + Goods + service
                    Exports  Exports     Inputs     Inputs

                    Current Account
                      Balance on goods and services + Net investments + net transfer

                      Capital Account
                        Foreign Purchase + domestic purchase.

                        Unit 5- Aggregate Supply

                        Unit 5- Aggregate Supply

                        Short Run Aggregate Supply:
                          -Period in which wages and other input prices remains fixed as price level increase or decrease.
                            Long Run Aggregate Supply:
                              -Period of time in which wages have become fully responsive to change in price level.

                              Effects over short-run:
                                -In short run, price level changes allow for companies to exceed normal outputs and hire more workers because profits are increase while wages remain constant.
                                In the long run, wages will adjust to the price level and previous output levels will adjust accordingly.
                                Equilibrium in the Extended Model:
                                  =The extended model means the inclusion of both the short run and long run AS curves.
                                  The long run AS curve is representative with a vertical line.
                                  Demand pull inflation in the AS model.
                                  Demand pull : prices increase based on the increase in AB

                                  In Short run, demand pull will drive up prices and increase production.
                                  In long run, increase in AB will eventually return to previous level. 

                                  Cost Push and the Extended Model:
                                    Cost-push arises from factors that will increase per unit cost such as increase in the price of a key resource. 
                                    Short run shifts left. What is important is that in this case, it is the cause of price level increase, not the effect. 

                                    Problems for the Government:
                                      In an effort to fight cost-push. The government can react in two different ways.
                                      Action such as spending by the government could begin an inflationary spiral.
                                      No action however could lead to recession by keeping production and employment levels declining. 

                                      The Long-Run Phillips Curve:
                                        Natural rate of unemployment is held constant.
                                        Because the Long Run Phillips curve exists at the natural rate of unemployment (UN) Structural changes in the economy that UN will also cause the Long-Run Phillips Curve to shift.
                                        Increase in UN will shift Long-Run Phillips Curve right.
                                        Decrease in UN will shift Long-Run Phillips Curve left.



                                        Image result for phillips curve

                                        Short Run Phillips Curve:
                                          Trade of between inflation and unemployment.

                                          Long Run Phillips Curve:
                                            NO trade of between inflation and unemployment in the long run.
                                            Occurs at natural rate of unemployment.
                                            Represented by vertical line.
                                            Long Run Phillips Curve will shift if the LRAS shifts.
                                            Natural rate of unemployment is equal to frictional +structural + seasonal unemployment.
                                            Maj LRPC assumption is that more worker benefits creates higher natural rates and fewer worker benefits creates lower natural rates. 
                                            Supply Shock: Rapid and significant increase in resource cost, which causes SRAS curve to shift.
                                            -Most likely shift to left and SRPC will shift right. 
                                            Misery Intex: combo of inflation and unemployment in any given year.
                                            Single digit misery is good. 

                                            Reaganomics/supply side economics 
                                              Show change in AS not in AD, which determines the level of inflation, unemployment notes and economy growth.
                                              Supply side economists, policies that promote GDP growth by arguing that high marginal tax votes along with the current system of transfer payments : Unemployment compensation welfare programs provide disincentive to work, invest, innovate and undertake entrepreneurial ventures. 
                                              Low marginal tax rates induce more work, thus AS increase. 
                                              -also makes leisure more expensive and work more attractive. 

                                              Incentives to save and invest:
                                                1) High marginal tax rates reduce the rewards for saving and investment.
                                                2) Consumption might increase, but investments depend upon saving.
                                                3) Lower marginal tax rates encourage savings and investing. 

                                                Laffer Curve:
                                                  Theoretical relationship between tax rates and government revenue. 
                                                  -As tax rates increase from (0) tax revenues increase from 0 to some max level and then declines.





                                                  Thursday, April 7, 2016

                                                  Unit 4- "Money"

                                                  "MONEY"





                                                  Uses of money-
                                                  1. Medium of exchange- trade
                                                  2. Unit of account- economic worth in exchange process
                                                  3. Store of value- money holds value over period of time, where as products do not


                                                  Types of money-
                                                  1. Commodity money- gets value from the type of material from what it's made
                                                  2. Representative money- paper money backed up by something tangible, gives it value
                                                  3. FIAT money- it's money because the government says so


                                                  Characteristics of money-
                                                  1. Portable- may travel in pocket
                                                  2. Durable- can wash & still survive
                                                  3. Scarce- cards used now, unsafe to carry cash
                                                  4. Divisible- 4 quarters, 10 dimes, etc.
                                                  5. Acceptable- everyone will accept cash
                                                  6. Uniform- can be used anywhere



                                                  Money Supply- (most liquid(easy to break down to cash))
                                                  1. M1 Money- Currency (cash & coins, checkable deposits & demand deposits, traveler's checks)
                                                  2. M2 Money- Consists of M1 Money along saving accounts, market accounts, and deposits held by banks outside the U.S.
                                                  3. M3 Money- Consists of M2 money & certificates of deposits(CD's) held by private institutions













                                                  FEDERAL RESERVE BANK (FED)


                                                  Functions of the Fed-
                                                  1. issues paper $
                                                  2. lends money to banks & charges them in interest
                                                  3. check clearing service for banks
                                                  4. personal bank for government
                                                  5. supervises member banks
                                                  6. controls money supply



                                                  Monday, April 4, 2016

                                                  Sunday, March 27, 2016

                                                  Unit 4 Video Responses


                                                  1st Video-    Commodity money are things that have value and can be used as pay in replacement of coin. A cow is an example because it has values and can be used for other purposes. Representative money is the currency you are using to represent the quantity of a precious metal such as gold or silver. Fiat money is that which the government says that something specific has value based on their promise. The functions of money are unit of account, store of value and medium of exchange.

                                                  2nd Video- Demand for money is downwards sloping because when the price is high, the quantity demanded is low. The supply of money is vertical because it does not vary based on the interest rate. The supply of money is fixed by the FED. If the FED does not want high interest rates during a recession, they can increase the money supply to stabilize the interest rates.

                                                  3rd Video- The Fed's tools of monetary policy are discount rates, required reserves, and buy/sell government bonds and securities. In certain cases the Fed will increase or decrease the tools. If the Fed wants to expand the money supply they would decrease RR, buy bonds, and decrease discount rates. While, in an effort to contract the money supply the FED would increase the RR, increase, discount rates, and sell bonds. Reducing "interest rates" basically means buying or selling bonds to put downward or upward pressure on the Federal Fund Rate.

                                                  4th Video- Loanable funds is money available in the banking system for people to borrow. Interest rate is going to be on the x axis and quantity on the y axis Q (F). Demand for loanable funds is downward sloping because when the interest rate is lower people demand more money, and when the interest rate is higher people have a disinvite to borrow. Supply of loanable funds comes from money that people have in banks that means it is dependent on savings.

                                                  5th Video- Banks create money by making loans. The formula for the money multiplier is 1 / reserve requirement. The money multiplier is then multiplied by the amount of money loaned to get the potential total amount of money created in the banking system. This can only be done by assuming that the banks have no excess reserves. If there are excess reserves, then the potential total amount of money is lower.

                                                  6th  Video-  The money market, loanable funds market, and AD/AS market have affects on each other, The money market is where the government gets the money, the demand for loans increase for another source of money(government spending), and the AD increases because government spending is a determinant for the AS/AD market. The equation of exchange is MV=PQ can be used to explain the relationship, as price levels increase the interest rates increase. This can be explained by the "fisher effect." It ultimately means that there is a 1:1 ratio.