Economic Research - Economic Research and Data, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

The Economic Research Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago conducts policy-relevant research on macroeconomics, microeconomics, financial studies, payments and regional economics issues.

News

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Foreign Direct Investment in the Midwest

Vice president and director of regional programs Bill Testa blogs about the role that foreign direct investment is playing in Indiana's economy. The experience in Indiana may be a lesson for other states in the region.

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Does Education Improve Health?

In this edition of Economic Perspectives, senior economist Bhashkar Mazumder considers the advent of compulsory school laws in the early twentieth century to determine the effects of schooling on health.

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The Role of Insurance in Low-Income Households

This edition of the Chicago Fed Letter looks at the connections among insurance, wealth building and preservation and financial access for low-income consumers.

Midwest Manufacturing Output Is Down in March

The Chicago Fed Midwest Manufacturing Index (CFMMI) declined 0.7% in March, to a seasonally adjusted level of 107.6 (2002 = 100).

March Economic Activity Still Slow

The Chicago Fed National Activity Index was −0.78 in March, up from −1.28 in February.

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Looking at Economic Trends and the CFNAI

This Chicago Fed Letter explores an experimental methodology for the Chicago Fed National Activity Index.

Dynamic Maps of Nonprime Mortgage Conditions in the United States

As part of its response to rising foreclosures, the Federal Reserve System offers dynamic maps through the Federal Reserve Bank of New York that show conditions and density of owner-occupied subprime mortgage loans for the states, counties and zip codes in the United States. The maps are based on data for owner-occupied mortgage loans that have been securitized into a product that is categorized as subprime, based on the grade assigned to the security. The underlying data will be updated periodically.

Save the Date
Eleventh Annual International Banking Conference

The European Central Bank and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago will co-sponsor the Fed's eleventh annual International Banking Conference titled The Credit Market Turmoil of 2007–08: Implications for Public Policy on September 25–26, 2008. Please visit the web site to check for updates on the conference.

Blogs

The Midwest Economy

Research Vice President Bill Testa blogs about research endeavors that examine the shifting trends in the Midwest economy.

Notional Pensions: Does Sweden Have the Answer?

Senior economist and economic advisor Rick Mattoon blogs on the effects of changing demographics on the Swedish pension system.