January Issue of St. Louis Fed's Regional Economist Now Available

ST. LOUIS – The January 2011 issue of The Regional Economist, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis’ quarterly review of business and economic conditions, is now available.  The issue’s articles include:

• “A Closer Look: Assistance Programs in the Wake of the Crisis” – During the financial crisis, an unprecedented amount of aid was extended to companies, agencies and individuals by the Treasury, the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.  This assistance was necessary and, in many cases, will return a profit to taxpayers.
• “Forecasters Expect Solid Growth, Low Inflation” – The recovery from the latest recession has been lethargic, but there are signs that the economy is poised to pick up the pace.  Consumer and business spending have risen, as have stock prices and exports. Meanwhile, yields on Treasury securities and mortgages remain low.
• “Teaching Teachers about the Economy” – Workshops put on for teachers by the Atlanta and St. Louis Feds are having the desired results, a recent assessment shows.  Teachers are learning about the economy and personal finance, and they are passing this information on to a student body that desperately needs it.
• “Have Housing Trends Hit the Bottom?” – On a national level, the number of vacant homes is declining, as is the percentage of mortgages in serious delinquency.   However, the demand for housing hasn’t picked up, nor have prices.
• “Mortgage Crisis Is Milder in District than in Nation” – The nation’s rate of serious delinquencies has been worse than the District’s for more than two years.  However, there are pockets in the District where the rate is much worse than the current national average.