Archive for the ‘monetary policy’ Tag

The carbon coin: A novel idea

11/11/22, The Indicator (10:31)

Link: https://www.npr.org/2022/11/11/1136169902/the-carbon-coin-a-novel-idea

Teaching Ideas

Summary: The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report is out, and the scientists have delivered their “final” warning, calling for aggressive actions to reduce carbon emissions. This episode of The Indicator which aired during last fall’s COP27 climate summit explores a radical but intriguing idea– the “Carbon Coin,” which leverages the power of monetary (and fiscal) policy to bring about large-scale carbon reduction. The accompanying exercise explores the carbon coin and how it compares to currency that we know and use today?

The Fed’s new dilemma: Protect banks or fight inflation?

3/14/23, The Indicator (9:30)

Link: https://www.npr.org/2023/03/14/1163486839/the-feds-new-dilemma-protect-banks-or-fight-inflation

Teaching Ideas

Summary: February inflation numbers are out and the bottom line is that inflation remains stubbornly high. However, the Fed’s job, laser focused on price stability till now, gets complicated in the aftermath of the SVB collapse. Today’s exercise asks students to debate whether the Fed should pause interest rate hikes as it weighs the tradeoffs between fighting inflation and stressing bank balance sheets.

Jobs vs prices: the Fed’s dueling mandates   Leave a comment

1/12/23, The Indicator (9:29)

Link: https://www.npr.org/2023/01/12/1148895861/jobs-vs-prices-the-feds-dueling-mandates

Summary: As the Federal Reserve targets higher interest rates to stabilize prices, they also want to keep unemployment low. The Indicator speaks with a Fed President about this dual mandate– its history, the trade-offs it involves and how it makes sense.

Link to teaching ideas

Posted February 27, 2023 by ishanitewari in THE INDICATOR

Tagged with ,

What can governments and central banks do to protect the world economy in the face of covid-19?   Leave a comment

Link: https://www.economist.com/podcasts/2020/03/03/what-can-governments-and-central-banks-do-to-protect-the-world-economy-in-the-face-of-covid-19

Central banks have cut interest rates in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak. Typically when something like this happens, interest rates rise and inflation occurs, but right now the exact opposite is happening. Sectors of the economy that are taking the hardest hit include tourism, cross boarder commerce, and oil.

Original Air Date: March 3, 2020

Length: 18 minutes 39 seconds

Discussion Prompt: How does this outbreak alter consumer expectations, and inevitably, their spending habits?

Discussion Prompt: What role, if any, does the government play in stabilizing the markets in instances such as this?

The Fed Fights the Virus   Leave a comment

Link: https://www.npr.org/2020/03/16/816684372/episode-980-the-fed-fights-the-virus

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Federal Reserve has lowered its interest rates to 0%. The Fed has been practicing quantitative easing in order to ensure individuals can sell Treasury bonds whenever they need to. Planet Money discusses whether this will be enough to prevent a recession from occurring.

Original Air Date: March 16, 2020

Length: 18 minutes 17 seconds

Written Assignment Prompt: Pretend you are the chair of the Federal Reserve. How would you deal with the Covid-19 pandemic to help prevent a coming recession? How would you adjust interest rates or the money supply during this time?

How To Make $3 Trillion Disappear   Leave a comment

how to makeLink: http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/10/23/451228005/episode-659-how-to-make-3-trillion-disappear

Summary: The Planet Money team discusses the end of quantitative easing – how it works and how it is coming to an end.  A particular focus is how this process will impact commercial banks and their clients.

Original Air Date: October 26, 2015

Length: 15 minutes 25 seconds

The Last Euro in Greece   Leave a comment

last euroLink: http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/07/08/421228146/episode-637-the-last-euro-in-greece

Summary: The Planet Money team discusses the role the banks played in the Greek debt crisis and how it affected the Greek people.

Original Air Date: July 8, 2015

Length: 13 minutes 38 seconds

Fixing the World, Bang-For-The-Buck Edition: A New Freakonomics Radio Podcast   Leave a comment

Fixing-the-World-300x200Link: http://freakonomics.com/2014/10/02/fixing-the-world-bang-for-the-buck-edition-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast/

Summary: Return on Investment (ROI) analyzes at the most efficient way to spend money. An example given is the difference between curing malaria and HIV/AIDS. To cure malaria, it would cost about $1,000 per person, while it would cost ten times that to cure HIV/AIDS, and it is decided that they would rather save 10 people from malaria before they save one from HIV/AIDS.  The United Nations, with their Millennium Development Goals coming to a close, will be looking to set new goals in 2015, to be completed by 2030. One of the issued they will focus on is how they are setting goals, and how to be more efficient with the help of the Return on Investment analysis.

Original Air Date: October 2, 2014

Length: 43 minutes 34 seconds

Prompt / Discussion: You are a member of the United Nations, and are put in charge of coming up with new development goals for 2015. You have $100 billion to invest in various development aid. Discuss how you would prioritize between an important, expensive goal (such as getting all kids into school, which was one of the Millennium Development Goals), and something that might not be seen as highly important, but cost effective.

The Stock Market Has Been and Always Will Be Volatile   Leave a comment

Markets Open One Day After Dow's Biggest Drop In A YearLink: http://www.marketplace.org/topics/economy/stock-market-has-been-and-always-will-be-volatile

Summary: Many people are worried about the stock markets, especially with everything going on in the world (Germany’s bad news, Ebola, etc). However, the stock market is a volatile place–and, according to Quincy Crosby, a financial market strategist at Prudential Financial, it’s meant to be that way.

Original Air Date: October 10, 2014

Length: 2 minutes 11 seconds

A Locked Door, A Secret Meeting And The Birth Of The Fed   Leave a comment

locked doorLink: http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2013/12/20/255839292/episode-505-a-locked-door-a-secret-meeting-and-the-birth-of-the-fed 

Summary: An historical retelling of the creation of the Federal Reserve Bank

Original Air Date: December 20, 2013

Length: 15 min