Econ Blog

your daily dose of economic commentary

Q3 GDP Tracking: Movin' on Up

521. Q3 GDP Tracking: Movin' on Up

An argument that GDP tracking estimates for Q3 have increased due to stronger consumer spending and revised data from various economic sources.

Tomorrow's Causal I Workshop at Mixtape Sessions, A Fight I Saw at the Patriots-Steelers Game, and Thoughts About My Pedagogy in My Gov 50 Class at Harvard

522. Tomorrow's Causal I Workshop at Mixtape Sessions, A Fight I Saw at the Patriots-Steelers Game, and Thoughts About My Pedagogy in My Gov 50 Class at Harvard

The post shares experiences from a workshop, a Patriots-Steelers game, and a memorable fight witnessed at the stadium, reflecting on personal happiness and pedagogy.

Lerner Symmetry Bites

523. Lerner Symmetry Bites

An argument that import tariffs negatively impact exporters, necessitating subsidies for farmers, illustrating the concept of Lerner Symmetry in trade policy.

Another Break Day

524. Another Break Day

Paul Krugman reflects on his busy schedule and hints at future posts about Europe’s economy and personal experiences.

Personal Income Increased 0.4% in August; Spending Increased 0.6%

525. Personal Income Increased 0.4% in August; Spending Increased 0.6%

Bill McBride discusses the increase in personal income and spending in August, along with inflation data and implications for economic growth.

My excellent Conversation with Steven Pinker

526. My excellent Conversation with Steven Pinker

The discussion explores common knowledge, coordination, and rational agreement, touching on psychology, social norms, and the interplay of beliefs in human interactions.

Trump to place import taxes on drugs, home furnishings and heavy trucks

527. Trump to place import taxes on drugs, home furnishings and heavy trucks

The Associated Press reports that President Trump plans to impose significant import taxes on various goods, including drugs and home furnishings, starting October 1.

Awaiting August Consumption and Personal Income

528. Awaiting August Consumption and Personal Income

Menzie Chinn discusses employment trends, personal income stability, and economic indicators suggesting a slowdown in consumption and growth as of September 2025.

Trump advances TikTok deal with new executive order

529. Trump advances TikTok deal with new executive order

John Ruwitch discusses a new executive order facilitating a deal for U.S. investors to acquire a majority stake in TikTok, ensuring its continued operation in the U.S.

September Vehicle Sales Forecast: Solid, Boosted by EV Sales, Q4 Concerns

530. September Vehicle Sales Forecast: Solid, Boosted by EV Sales, Q4 Concerns

The post discusses projected vehicle sales for September 2025, highlighting strong EV demand driven by expiring tax credits, while expressing concerns about Q4 sales dynamics.

Snapshots of the Global Robot Population

531. Snapshots of the Global Robot Population

Timothy Taylor discusses trends in the global robot population, highlighting the growth of industrial and service robots, particularly in China and other leading countries.

Starbucks is closing more stores and laying off 900 workers

532. Starbucks is closing more stores and laying off 900 workers

Alina Selyukh discusses Starbucks' decision to close stores and lay off 900 workers as part of its turnaround strategy.

Amazon to pay $2.5 billion to settle U.S. lawsuit that it 'tricked' people into Prime

533. Amazon to pay $2.5 billion to settle U.S. lawsuit that it 'tricked' people into Prime

Amazon has settled a lawsuit regarding allegations of deceptive practices that made it difficult for users to cancel Prime subscriptions.

Why Is Trump Bailing Out Argentina?

534. Why Is Trump Bailing Out Argentina?

Paul Krugman discusses Trump's unexpected financial support for Argentina, linking it to his administration's broader agenda and the challenges faced by Argentina's right-wing leadership.

Tech can fix most of our problems (if we let it)

535. Tech can fix most of our problems (if we let it)

Noah Smith argues that technology, particularly AI, can provide solutions to societal problems like disinformation, contrary to the belief that only social change can address these issues.

NAR: Existing-Home Sales Decreased to 4.00 million SAAR in August

536. NAR: Existing-Home Sales Decreased to 4.00 million SAAR in August

Bill McBride discusses the NAR report indicating a slight decrease in existing-home sales and changes in inventory and median prices for August.

Causal Inference with Spatial Treatments

537. Causal Inference with Spatial Treatments

Scott Cunningham discusses causal inference methods for evaluating spatial treatments, focusing on strategies for selecting control groups in urban economic contexts.

Episode 60. Federal Reserve Board Governor Chris Waller on Monetary Policy and Payments

538. Episode 60. Federal Reserve Board Governor Chris Waller on Monetary Policy and Payments

Jon Hartley interviews Chris Waller about monetary policy, inflation, and the Federal Reserve's future actions regarding interest rates and payments.

A judge ruled their firings were illegal. The government got to do it anyway

539. A judge ruled their firings were illegal. The government got to do it anyway

Andrea Hsu discusses a judge's ruling on the illegal firings of federal employees and the government's subsequent actions despite the ruling.

Housing prices are causing some people to have smaller families than planned

540. Housing prices are causing some people to have smaller families than planned

Laurel Wamsley discusses how rising housing prices are influencing some Americans to have smaller families than they had originally planned.