Should we worry about rising inflation? September’s Consumer Price Index showed an increase of 1.22 percent in just one month. The Producer Price index came in even higher at 1.9 percent. Whether this merits great concern depends on how you…
Demand “elasticity” key to profits
The U.S. economy is challenged by high energy costs, rising interest rates and the eventual effects of prolonged federal budget deficits. People naturally wonder how businesses they own — or that employ them — will fare in these rougher economic…
U.S. stance on farm subsidies appears dubious at best
Tuesday’s newspaper juxtaposed one headline, “U.S., EU move closer on trade” with another, “Game theory yields economics Nobel.” The two stories are more connected than they might appear. Nobel winner Tom Schelling’s insights on the dynamics of negotiation should make…
Health insurance is different, but why?
When we buy car insurance or a homeowner’s policy, we usually have a choice of buying a standard bread-and-butter contract or paying more for extra coverage. Health insurance doesn’t necessarily work that way. For example, a recent news story examined…