The Regional Economist

Bucking the Trend in Manufacturing in Grenada, Miss.

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:00:00 CDT

Don't Expect Consumer Spending To Be the Engine of Economic Growth It Once Was

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 24:00:00 CDT

Consumer spending has long been the engine of U.S. and global economic growth. But five trends in 2011 suggest that such spending can no longer be counted on. Finding a replacement is going to be difficult, at best.

Emerging Markets: A Source of and Destination for Capital

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 24:00:00 CDT

Increasingly, emerging markets are becoming a source of growth in the global economy. For example, foreign direct investment both into and out of these countries has shown a phenomenal increase since 2000.

Local Housing Crisis Is Similar to Nation's

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 24:00:00 CDT

On the Road to Recovery, Soft Patches Turn Up Often

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 24:00:00 CDT

Reader Exchange: Ask an Economist, and Letters to the Editor

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 24:00:00 CDT

Starting a Business During a Recovery: This Time, It's Different

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 24:00:00 CDT

The Economic Recovery—America's Investment Problem

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 24:00:00 CDT

The Economy Should Be Able To Avoid a Recession in 2012

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 24:00:00 CDT

The Role of Financing in International Trade during Good Times and Bad

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 24:00:00 CDT

The collapse of trade during the financial crisis can be tied, for the most part, to a drop in demand. Less talked about, however, is the role of financing—or lack thereof.

Economic Data—Appearances Can Be Deceiving

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:00:00 CDT

Gender Wage Gap May Be Much Smaller Than Most Think

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:00:00 CDT

Immigrants: Skills, Occupations and Locations

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:00:00 CDT

Is Shadow Banking Really Banking?

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:00:00 CDT

To those who don't know, the term "shadow banking" probably has a negative connotation. This primer draws parallels between what has been termed the shadow banking sector and the traditional banking sector—showing that they are similar in many ways.

New Data Elevate Uncertainty about the Outlook on the Economy

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:00:00 CDT

Plentiful Green Space along Interstate Drives Economy of Tiny Missouri Town

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:00:00 CDT

Questions about the Budget Deficit of the U.S. Have No Easy Answers

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:00:00 CDT

This Q&A on the federal deficit is a preview of the "Dialogue with the Fed" that the public is invited to Oct. 18 at the St. Louis Fed.

Reader Exchange

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:00:00 CDT

Revised Data Show that District Gained, Not Lost, Jobs in 2010

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:00:00 CDT

Why Health Care Matters and the Current Debt Does Not

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:00:00 CDT

All of the attention given to raising the debt ceiling this past summer might lead some to believe that spending by the federal government only recently became unsustainable. Hardly. We've been on this path a long time.

Worth Your Weight? Re-examining the Link between Obesity and Wages

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:00:00 CDT

A Closer Look at House Price Indexes

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:00:00 CDT

Black/White Segregation in the Eighth District: A Look at the Dynamics

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:00:00 CDT

Commodity Price Gains: Speculation vs. Fundamentals

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:00:00 CDT

Commodities of all sorts have risen in price over the past few years. Some say that the prices reflect a bubble, driven by low interest rates and excessive speculation. Others say the price gains can be fully explained by supply and demand.

Du Quoin Strives To Diversify Beyond State Fair

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 12:00:00 CDT