2.2 Aggregate Demand Flashcards
What is aggregate demand ?
- the total amount of goods and services demanded in the economy at a given time and price level
What is the formula for AD and what are the components ?
C + I + G + X-M
C= household spending on goods and services
I= investment spending (businesses ect)
G= government spending
X= exports of goods and services
M= import of goods and services
What does an AD curve look like ?
- As general price level increases, the amount of real GDP in the economy decreases
- general price level on y axis
- real GDP on x axis
- shows the inverse relationship between AD and general price level
Why does the AD curve slope downwards?
- real income effect: as price levels fall the real value of income rises and consumer can buy more
- balance on trade effects: a fall in the relative price of level could make foreign-produced goods/services more expensive ➡️ causing a rise in exports and a fall in imports
- interest rate effect: if inflation is low and this leads to a reduction in interest rates ➡️ there is less incentive to save + a fall in interest rates may also cause the exchange rate to depreciate and improve export sales
What are movements on the AD curve caused by?
- changes in price levels
What are shifts of the AD curve caused by?
- non-price factors
What are examples of tailwinds ?
(increase in AD)
🔔shifts AD to the right/help the economy grow
- fall in exchange rates ➡️ increased exports
- cuts in direct + indirect tax ➡️ consumers spend more
- increase in asset prices ➡️ people more wealthy
- lower interest rates + increase money supply
What are examples of headwinds ?
(Fall in AD)
🔔 shifts AD to the left/makes growth difficult
- fall in trade w/other countries: decrease net imports (X-M)
- reductions in real govt spending
- higher interest rates + fall in borrowing
- lack of investment by firms
- lack in household confidence + wealth
What is consumption ?
- the total money spent on final goods and services by individuals
- main sources: wages, savings, pensions and benefits
- biggest component of the UK aggregate economy
What is the marginal propensity to consume?
- the proportion of additional income that is spent rather than saved ie. the change in spending following a change in income
- change in C/change in Y
What factors affect consumer spending?
- real disposable income: if pay rises do not match inflation = less spending
- employment and job security
- household wealth (value of assets): sustained increase in house prices = increase in personal wealth + increased confidence + more equity from their assets eg. remortgaging house
- expectations and sentiment: low confidence due to fear of rising unemployment + rising taxes = less spending
- interest rates: low interest rates makes it cheaper to borrow = less savings
What are savings ?
- the amount of a households income that is not spent
- increased savings = decreased consumption
What is meant by the average propensity to save (APS) ?
- what amount of money households can save as a % of their total disposable income
What is the multiplier effect ?
- more consumption leads to even more consumption (creates jobs, in which these people will spend it ect)
- Keynes suggested to increase govt spending if consumer spending falls ➡️ will boost the economy by spending more in which a multiplier effect will benefit the economy
- HOWEVER does not take inflation into account
What is meant by household saving ratio ?
- measures the amount of money households have available to save as a percentage of their total disposable income; we can also call this the average propensity to save (APS)
- higher savings ratio (other factors remain the same) lowers consumption and AD
Why is consumer confidence important ?
- encourages spending instead of saving
What are savings affected by ?
- interest rates
- price expectations
- income
- employment
- consumer confidence
Whats the importance of savings?
- business survival (cushion during recession)
- funding investments
- buffer of financial resources for consumers: savings help to smooth consumption over one’s life (especially during tough economic times), allow households to purchase ‘big ticket items’ + key source of retirement income
What is investment ?
- the purchase of goods not used today but used in the future to create wealth ie. spending on capital goods
- eg. factories, machinery
- important as makes the economy grow + increases production & efficiency
Why do businesses invest ?
- to replace worn out capital which has depreciated in value
- new technology (makes firms more efficient)
- increase in AD (firms need to increased capacity)
- profit
- change in interest rates and loans
- competition
What is gross investments ?
the total investment on new capital
What is net investment
- gross investment adjusted for depreciation of capital (around 75% of investment is to replace old machinery)
What are the factors that influence investment ?
- interest rates: low interest rates= easier to borrow money ➡️ more investment
- business expectations & confidence: high confidence = more likely to invest
- govt regulations/intervention: subsidies = more investment OR reduction in regulations = easier to invest
- Keynes and ‘animal spirit’: low confidence = businesses + individuals save more as demand + profits are lower ➡️ cancel/postpone investments
- corporation tax: increased c tax = decrease in investments (less money to invest with)
- spare capacity: firms tend to invest when at max capacity so that they can grow
- levels of competition: more competition = more investment to stay ahead of other firms/countries
- cost of capital: lower costs = increased investment (can get more for their money)
🔔 others incl: *rate of economic growth (more growth=more investment), *access to credit (easier to borrow=increased investment), *demand for exports (increase demand=increase investment to keep up)
What did Keynes means when saying animal spirits?
- human emotion + instincts can drive financial decision making of investors and consumers in an economy
- eg. when confidence is low people save more