Economic Indicators

Quick Links - Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, Group 4, Group 5, Group 6, Group 7, Group 8, Group 9, Group 10

Your responsibility is to prepare a PowerPoint report on your assigned topic and to come up with a prediction as to where the business cycle is headed in the next twelve months. You will also be giving an oral report on your topic where everyone in the group will be expected to participate. Each group will work together as it compiles this PowerPoint / oral report. You will need to cite at least 1-2 additional web sources beside the one that is already cited. Do record the URL on the bottom of your PowerPoint page. Make sure that your PowerPoint presentations use a mixture of visuals balanced by a short phrases, which you will then explain in more detail. (A good additional site to check is http://www.usatoday.com/money/digest/md1.htm. Another recommendation is the search engine http://www.google.com)


GROUP 1
http://www.econdash.net/
Using this site give a report on personal savings. To what extent are Americans saving their money. (Hint: If more money is being saved that is usually an indication of "good times" in the economy, while a downturn in the amount of money being saved is an indication of "bad times" in the economy). Be sure to click on the personal savings gauge and it will give you some options to gather more information which is embedded deeper in the site. You will need to prepare this data In a PowerPoint presentation which balances visuals with written phrases. Be sure to use a mixture of statistics and interpretation to describe the health of the economy in our local area.

GROUP 2
http://stats.bls.gov/iag/iaghome.htm
Using this site of the major industries, which the American population works in, give a report on the overall outlook for different jobs in the economy. Which are the ones which tend to experience the least or the most amount of unemployment? What is the average hourly wage, etc.? You are dealing with a lot of data here and it is necessary for your group to pick and choose which pieces of data to focus on since you obviously cannot do everything in this category. You will need to prepare this data In a PowerPoint presentation which balances visuals with written phrases. Be sure to use a mixture of statistics and interpretation to describe the health of the economy.

GROUP 3
http://stats.bls.gov/eag/eag.us.htm
Unemployment Rate is your focus. Give us updates for this year - where is it at right now and what are the predictions for the near future. Check a variety of web sites for information on this data. You will need to prepare this data In a PowerPoint presentation, which balances visuals with written phrases. Be sure to use a mixture of statistics and interpretation to describe the health of the economy.

GROUP 4
http://stats.bls.gov/eag/eag.us.htm
Consumer Price Index is your focus. Give us updates for this year - where is it at right now and what are the predictions for the near future. Check a variety of web sites for information on this data. You will need to prepare this data In a PowerPoint presentation, which balances visuals with written phrases. Be sure to use a mixture of statistics and interpretation to describe the health of the economy. Another site you may want to check for some good graphics and explanations is http://www.econdash.net/.


GROUP 5
http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/
The National Debt is your focus. Tell us where the debt stands today and how much every single family in America would have to pay in order to "retire" the debt. (What I shared with you in class is the result of last year's research and we need the latest research from your group). Search for some stories on the web about whether we should or should not pay down the debt. Give your own opinion. You will need to prepare this data In a PowerPoint presentation, which balances visuals with written phrases. Be sure to use a mixture of statistics and interpretation to describe the status of the debt.

GROUP 6
http://www.whitehouse.gov/fsbr/income.html
Personal Income (and all of the associated fields listed under this web site) is your focus. Give us an overview of the "average" American. Pick and choose what data to use since there is an abundance of it at this site and you will not have time to review all of it. Remember that as you write your 6-8 sentences written report you will need to use a mixture of statistics and interpretation to describe the role which personal income plays in this economy.

GROUP 7
http://w3.access.gpo.gov/usbudget/fy2000/guide02.html
The Federal Budget - Spending and Revenue. In class we looked at projected figures for the 2000 budget that were put together in 1997. Read over this page and give us an update on what has changed since 1997. Where is more or less money being spent or where has the intake of revenue changed? In a PowerPoint presentation, which balances visuals with written phrases, relate to us the information, which you learned from this site.

GROUP 8
http://www.dismal.com/dismal/dsp/release.asp?r=usa_consumer
Consumer Confidence is your focus. We haven't talked about this indicator. You will need to explain to us what it is and what is the latest information collected on this index. Interpret its importance to the business cycle. In a PowerPoint presentation, which balances visuals with written phrases, relate to us the information, which you learned from this site. Predict its impact on the future business cycle.

GROUP 9
http://www.dismal.com/dismal/dsp/release.asp?r=usa_gdp
Gross Domestic Product. Give us information about its current level and how this level compares to last year and what its impact will have on the business cycle in the near future. In a PowerPoint presentation which balances visuals with written phrases, relate to us the information which you learned from this site. Predict its impact on the future business cycle. Another site you may want to check is http://www.econdash.net/ for the GDP per capita information.

GROUP 10
http://www.dismal.com/dismal/dsp/releease.asp?r=usa_res_constr
Housing starts. Give us information about its current level and how this level compares to last year and what its impact will have on the business cycle in the near future. In a PowerPoint presentation which balances visuals with written phrases. relate to us the information which you learned from this site. Predict its impact on the future business cycle.