https://www.atlantafed.org en-us https://www.atlantafed.org https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/policy-hub-macroblog/2025/11/25/how-immigration-rules-shape-firm-dynamics-in-us-technology-sector Tue, 25 Nov 2025 10:00:00 EST As visas for skilled workers become scarcer, the potential impact on the US technology sector is coming into focus. A post shows that even without expanding the total number of visas, reallocating them toward younger firms or lowering administrative costs could bolster start-up formation and productivity growth. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/policy-hub-macroblog/2025/11/20/aftermath-of-pandemic-retirement-boom Thu, 20 Nov 2025 10:00:00 EST As the labor force shifts toward older and more educated workers, what are the effects on the unemployment rate over time? A post examines evolving workforce demographics and their impact on the unemployment rate. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/policy-hub-macroblog/2025/11/13/demographic-changes-and-the-unemployment-rate Thu, 13 Nov 2025 10:00:00 EST As the labor force shifts toward older and more educated workers, what are the effects on the unemployment rate over time? A post examines evolving workforce demographics and their impact on the unemployment rate. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/policy-hub-macroblog/2025/11/03/rounding-rules-and-cash-inflation-when-we-no-longer-make-cents Mon, 03 Nov 2025 10:00:00 EST They say the only constant is change, but even our pocket change is not constant. This post looks at the economic effects of the elimination of the penny from our daily transactions and considers other potential changes to come. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/policy-hub-macroblog/2025/10/10/winter-is-coming-firms-cost-and-price-expectations-in-wake-of-tariff-hikes Fri, 10 Oct 2025 10:00:00 EST The US labor force participation rate has been declining. What factors play a role in the decline? A post looks at recent data and trends to explain the phenomenon. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/policy-hub-macroblog/2025/10/01/digging-deeper-into-declining-labor-force-participation Wed, 01 Oct 2025 10:00:00 EST The US labor force participation rate has been declining. What factors play a role in the decline? A post looks at recent data and trends to explain the phenomenon. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/policy-hub-macroblog/2025/08/26/are-us-importers-ready-for-new-tariff-landscape Tue, 26 Aug 2025 10:30:00 EST As US importers begin to adjust to higher tariffs, a post considers why small firms could be the hardest hit given their less diversified supply chains, exposure to tariffed countries, and limited access to credit. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/policy-hub-macroblog/2025/07/17/how-long-will-tariff-related-uncertainty-last-business-execs-split Thu, 17 Jul 2025 11:00:00 EST How long might tariff-related uncertainty persist, and what types of firms are experiencing greater uncertainty? A post looks at recent data from the Survey of Business Uncertainty to find out. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/policy-hub-macroblog/2025/07/02/evolving-impact-of-tariffs-on-cfos-outlooks Wed, 02 Jul 2025 11:00:00 EST Although trade policy remains in flux, it is having a measurable impact on some firms' outlook. A post scrutinizes recent survey data to understand how tariffs are affecting firm expectations. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/policy-hub-macroblog/2025/06/23/penny-dilemma Mon, 23 Jun 2025 11:00:00 EST As production of the penny ceases, what changes might occur to cash transactions between consumers and retailers? A post focuses on an important issue known to economists as "optimal currency and coin denominations." https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/policy-hub-macroblog/2025/06/05/worried-about-tariff-passthrough-onto-prices-so-are-business-execs Thu, 05 Jun 2025 11:00:00 EST In the face of new tariffs, how would firms respond? A post looks at recent survey data to view how they would react to tariffs' impact on prices. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/policy-hub-macroblog/2025/05/19/overcoming-constraints-how-banks-helped-us-firms-reroute-supply-chains Mon, 19 May 2025 11:00:00 EST Rising trade tensions and the pandemic have forced importers to reconfigure their supply chains, a complex and costly process. A post highlights the underappreciated role of financial intermediaries in supporting supply chain resilience during global disruptions. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/policy-hub-macroblog/2025/05/15/uncertainty-over-trade-policy-will-cut-hiring-and-investment-say-business-execs Thu, 15 May 2025 10:00:00 EST Tariffs have been in the news prominently, with their impact a subject of great debate. But what might their effects be on hiring and investment? A post looks at recent data from the Survey of Business Uncertainty to find out. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/policy-hub-macroblog/2025/05/14/challenges-in-forecasting-gdp-growth-last-quarter-and-this-quarter Wed, 14 May 2025 10:00:00 EST Because the US economy includes a plethora of moving parts and shifting variables, accurately assessing economic growth poses inherent challenges. A post discusses some of the recent indicators that complicate efforts to produce a snapshot of economic activity. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/policy-hub-macroblog/2025/04/23/the-switch-changing-conditions-behind-new-gdpnow-model Wed, 23 Apr 2025 10:00:00 EST The recent surge in gold imports created dramatic disparities between various GDP forecasts and prompted changes to the Atlanta Fed's GDPNow nowcasting model. In this post, economist Patrick Higgins looks more closely at the conditions behind the switch to a gold-adjusted model.