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The Us Economy

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The US Economy
Clark University

The US Economy

Like any economy, the United States experiences growth, contraction, and periods of increased volatility throughout any given time period. This analysis seeks to provide a concise report of the current state of the US economy based on the latest data metrics provided in the reports published by the Wall Street Journal. The following information delves into the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the economy’s growth and employment, consumer activity, inflation, housing construction and sales, and international trade. The first metric to be examined is more than likely the one that the average citizen thinks of when thinking about the current state of the economy: Unemployment. It affects virtually every metric from the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The long term figures by the Bureau of Labor Statistics noted in Appendix A display that the unemployment rate has been on the decline for a significant period of time, and furthermore, is expected to close the 2015 year at a rate of 5%, with the potential to plummet further to 4.6%. The decline appears significant, especially considering the Labor Force experienced growth. Secondly, the GDP should be taken into consideration, as it’s one of the most useful statistics when looking at the health of an economy. The GDP for October is 18 trillion dollars, down from 18.01 trillion in September. As explained in the textbook, the reduction may be a result of the combination of decreased earning and personal spending for the month; however, it’s not a significant change relative to the fluctuation experienced in the last 5 years. When analyzing the retail numbers, it appears that the US is poised to finish the calendar year with an uptick in sales. A contributing factor to the sales increase is likely due

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