BEC - Economics Flashcards
How does a price increase affect supply?
When the prices of an item increases supply increases- because more sellers are willing to sell.
What is a supply curve shift?
When supply changes due to something other than price.
What are the characteristics of a positive supply curve shift (shift right)?
Supply increases at each price point
Higher Equilibrium GDP
Number of sellers increases - market can get flooded
Examples: Government subsidies or technology improvements that decrease costs for suppliers
What are the characteristics of a negative supply curve shift (shift left)?
Supply decreases at each price point
Lower Equilibrium GDP
Cost of producing item increases
Examples: Shortage of gold- so less gold watches are made; wars or crises in rice-producing countries means there is less rice on the market
How does price affect the demand for an item?
When the prices of an item increases- demand for it decreases.
What is a Demand Curve Shift?
When demand changes due to something other than price.
What is a Positive Demand Curve Shift (Shift Right)?
When demand increases at each price point
Price of substitutes go up - price of beef rises- so people buy more chicken
Future price increase is expected - War in Middle East- people go out and buy gas
Market expands - i.e. people get new free health care plan- demand at clinic rises
Expansion - more spending increases equilibrium GDP
What is a Negative Demand Curve Shift (Shift Left)?
Demand decreases at each price point.
Price of complement goes up - price of beef goes up- less demand for ketchup
Boycott - Company commits social blunder- consumers boycott
Consumer income rises - Demand for inferior goods drops as people have more money to spend
Consumer tastes change
Contraction - less spending decreases equilibrium GDP
What is the Marginal Propensity to Consume?
How much you spend when your income increases
Calculate: Change in Spending / Change in Income
What is the Marginal Propensity to Save?
How much you save when income increases
Calculate: Change in Savings / Change in Income
Also equals 1 - Marginal Propensity to Consume
How is the multiplier effect calculated?
(1 / 1-MPC) x Change in Spending
How does increased spending by consumers and the government affect the demand curve?
As spending by consumers or the government increases- the demand curve increases (shifts right).
How does spending change due to the multiplier effect?
The increase in demand ends up being larger than the amount of additional income spent in the economy due to the multiplier effect.
One consumer spends money- which:
*Increases the income of a business
*Increases the income of a vendor
*Increases income of employees
*Increases tax revenue
How is Price Elasticity of Demand calculated?
% Change in Quantity Demand / % Change in Price
Under elastic demand- how does price affect revenues?
Price increases- Revenue decreases
Price decreases- Revenue increases
What conditions would indicate Elastic Demand?
Many substitutes (luxury items)
Considered elastic if elasticity is greater than 1
10% drop in demand / 8% increase in price : 1.25 (Elastic)
Price increases- Revenue decreases
Price decreases- Revenue increases
How does revenue react to price under Inelastic Demand?
Price increases- Revenue increases
Price decreases- Revenue decreases
What conditions would indicate Inelastic Demand?
Few substitutes (groceries- gasoline)
Considered inelastic if coefficient of elasticity is less than 1
5% drop in demand / 10% increase in price : .5 (inelastic)
Price increases- Revenue increases
Price decreases- Revenue decreases
What is Unitary Demand?
Total revenue will remain the same if price is increased
Considered unitary if coefficient of elasticity : 1
How is Income Elasticity of Demand calculated?
% Change Quantity Demanded / % Change in Income
Normal goods greater than 1 (demand increases more than income)
Inferior goods less than 1 (demand increases less than income)
What conditions occur under periods of inflation?
Interest rates increase
Reduced demand for loans
Reduced demand for houses- autos- etc.
Value of bonds and fixed income securities decrease
Inferior good demand to increase
Foreign goods more affordable than domestic
Demand for domestic goods decrease
What happens under Demand-Pull inflation?
Overall spending increases
Demand increases (shifts right)
Market equilibrium price increases
What happens under Cost-Push inflation?
Overall production costs increase
Supply decreases (shifts left)
Market equilibrium price increases
Note: Demand-Pull and Cost-Push Inflation BOTH result in market equilibrium price to increase
What is the Equilibrium Price?
The price where Quantity Supplied : Quantity Demanded
What is Optimal Production?
When Marginal Revenue : Marginal Cost
What is the result of a Price Floor?
Causes a surplus if above equilibrium price.
What is GDP (Gross Domestic Product)?
The annual value of all goods and services produced domestically at current prices by consumers- businesses- the government- and foreign companies with domestic interests
Included: Foreign company has US Factory
Not included: US company has foreign factory
What is included under the income approach for calculating GDP?
Sole Proprietor and Corp Income
Passive Income
Taxes
Employee Salaries
Foreign Income Adjustments
Depreciation
What is included under the Expenditure Approach for calculating GDP?
Individual Consumption
Private Investment
Government Purchases
Net Exports
What is Nominal GDP?
Measures goods/services in current prices.
For what is a GDP Deflator used?
Used to convert GDP to Real GDP
What is Real GDP?
Nominal GDP / GDP Deflator x 100
What is Gross National Product (GNP)?
Like GDP; Swaps foreign production. US Firms overseas are included- Foreign firms domestically are not included
What is the Consumer Price Index (CPI)? How is it applied?
Price of goods relative to an earlier period of time- which is the benchmark. Year 1 : 1.0
((CPI Current - CPI Last) / CPI Last) * 100
How is disposable income calculated?
Personal Income - Personal Taxes
How is Return to Scale calculated?
% Increase in output / % Increase in input
Greater than 1 : Increasing returns to scale
Less than 1 : Decreasing returns to scale
When is the economy in Recession?
When GDP growth is negative for two consecutive quarters.
What is a Depression?
A prolonged- severe recession with high unemployment rates
No requisite period of time for the economy to officially be in a depression
What are the stages of the Economic Cycle?
Peak (highest)
Recession (decreasing)
Trough (lowest)
Recover (increasing)
Expansion (higher again)
What are leading indicators?
Conditions that occur before a recession or before a recovery
Example: Stock Market or New Housing Starts
What are lagging indicators?
Conditions that occur after a recession or after a recovery
Examples: Prime Interest Rates- Unemployment
What are coincident indicators?
Conditions that occur during a recession or during a recovery
Example: Manufacturing output
Which people are included in the calculation of unemployment?
Only people looking for jobs
What is Cyclical Unemployment?
GDP doesn’t grow fast enough to employ all people who are looking for work
Example: People are unemployed in 2010 because there aren’t enough jobs available due to the economy
What is Frictional Unemployment?
People are changing jobs or entering the work force. This is a normal aspect of full employment.
Example: A recent college graduate is looking for a job
What is Structural Unemployment?
A worker’s job skills do not match those necessary to get a job so they need education or training
Example: A construction worker wants to work in an office- so they quit their job and get computer training
How does inflation relate to unemployment?
High Unemployment : Low Inflation (Vice Versa)
What is the Discount Rate?
The rate a bank pays to borrow from the Fed.
What is the Prime Rate?
The rate a bank charges their best customers on short-term borrowings.
What is the Real Interest Rate?
Inflation-adjusted interest rate
What is the Nominal Rate?
Rate that uses current prices
What is the Risk-Free Rate?
Rate for a loan with 100% certainty of payback.
Usually results in a lower rate.
US Treasuries are an example.
What is included in the M1 money supply?
Currency- Coins- and Deposits
What is included in the M2 money supply?
Highly liquid assets other than currency- coins or deposits
What is Deficit Spending?
Increased spending levels without increased tax revenue.
Lower taxes without decrease in spending
Gamble that the multiplier effect will take over and boost economy
How can the Fed control the money supply?
By buying and selling the government’s securities.
How does the Fed control economy-wide interest rates?
By adjusting the discount rate charged to banks
What is a Tariff?
A tax on imported goods
What is a quota?
A limit on the number of goods that can be imported
How do international trade restrictions affect domestic producers?
They are good for domestic producers.
Demand curve shifts right
Fewer substitutes
They can charge higher prices
How to international trade restrictions affect foreign producers?
They are bad for foreign producers
Demand curve shifts left
Fewer buyers
They must charge lower prices
How do international trade restrictions affect foreign consumers?
They are good for foreign consumers
Supply curve shifts right
Goods purchased at lower prices in the foreign markets
How do international trade restrictions affect domestic consumers?
They are bad for domestic consumers
Supply curve shifts left
Fewer goods bought due to higher prices
What is Accounting Cost?
Explicit (Actual) cost of operating a business
Implicit costs are opportunity costs
What is Accounting Profit?
Revenue - Accounting Cost
What is Economic Cost?
Explicit + Implicit Cost
What is Economic Profit?
Revenue - Economic Cost
Economics
How does a price increase affect supply?
When the prices of an item increases supply increases- because more sellers are willing to sell.
Economics
What is a supply curve shift?
When supply changes due to something other than price.
Economics
What are the characteristics of a positive supply curve shift (shift right)?
Supply increases at each price point
Higher Equilibrium GDP
Number of sellers increases - market can get flooded
Examples: Government subsidies or technology improvements that decrease costs for suppliers
Economics
What are the characteristics of a negative supply curve shift (shift left)?
Supply decreases at each price point
Lower Equilibrium GDP
Cost of producing item increases
Examples: Shortage of gold- so less gold watches are made; wars or crises in rice-producing countries means there is less rice on the market
Economics
How does price affect the demand for an item?
When the prices of an item increases- demand for it decreases.
Economics
What is a Demand Curve Shift?
When demand changes due to something other than price.
Economics
What is a Positive Demand Curve Shift (Shift Right)?
When demand increases at each price point
Price of substitutes go up - price of beef rises- so people buy more chicken
Future price increase is expected - War in Middle East- people go out and buy gas
Market expands - i.e. people get new free health care plan- demand at clinic rises
Expansion - more spending increases equilibrium GDP
Economics
What is a Negative Demand Curve Shift (Shift Left)?
Demand decreases at each price point.
Price of complement goes up - price of beef goes up- less demand for ketchup
Boycott - Company commits social blunder- consumers boycott
Consumer income rises - Demand for inferior goods drops as people have more money to spend
Consumer tastes change
Contraction - less spending decreases equilibrium GDP
Economics
What is the Marginal Propensity to Consume?
How much you spend when your income increases
Calculate: Change in Spending / Change in Income
Economics
What is the Marginal Propensity to Save?
How much you save when income increases
Calculate: Change in Savings / Change in Income
Also equals 1 - Marginal Propensity to Consume
Economics
How is the multiplier effect calculated?
(1 / 1-MPC) x Change in Spending
Economics
How does increased spending by consumers and the government affect the demand curve?
As spending by consumers or the government increases- the demand curve increases (shifts right).
Economics
How does spending change due to the multiplier effect?
The increase in demand ends up being larger than the amount of additional income spent in the economy due to the multiplier effect.
One consumer spends money- which:
*Increases the income of a business
*Increases the income of a vendor
*Increases income of employees
*Increases tax revenue
