https://www.atlantafed.org en-us https://www.atlantafed.org https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/working-papers/2026/02/17/02-merchant-steering-of-consumer-payment-choice Tue, 17 Feb 2026 13:57:00 EST New Atlanta Fed research identifies reasons why consumers often deviate from their preferred payment method when making in-person purchases. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/take-on-payments/2026/02/09/payments-mix-you-dont-need-until-you-move Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:40:00 EST From hunting for the checkbook in packed boxes, to nervously carrying around an envelope of cash, each transaction during a recent move made clear the advantages and disadvantages of different payment methods. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/policy-hub-papers/2026/02/02/01-geographic-inequality-in-food-inflation Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:00:00 EST Using scanner data to measure food inflation across regions with different income levels, the authors find that poorer metropolitan statistical areas experience higher food inflation than richer ones do, partly because of higher retailer concentration in poorer areas. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/working-papers/2026/01/12/01-evolution-of-us-educational-mobility-over-the-20th-century-and-the-role-of-public-education Mon, 12 Jan 2026 12:33:00 EST Using two new large-scale linked datasets, the authors examine the evolution of intergenerational educational mobility in the United States during the 20th century and the role that investments in public education have played in shaping these long-run trends. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/take-on-payments/2026/01/12/why-do-businesses-still-use-paper-checks Mon, 12 Jan 2026 11:46:00 EST Data from the Federal Reserve’s 2024 Payments Insight study reveal how payment preferences shift dramatically with company size showing an inverse relationship between firm size and check usage. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/working-papers/2025/11/06/15-geospatial-heterogeneity-in-inflation-market-concentration-story Thu, 06 Nov 2025 14:25:00 EST Examining how inflation varies across regions with different income levels, the authors show that from 2006 to 2020, poorer metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) experienced higher food inflation compared to wealthier MSAs. The authors identity a causal link between market concentration and inflation by exploiting the 2014–15 bird flu episode. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/partners-update/2025/10/14/small-business-credit-survey-the-2025-southeast-insights Thu, 06 Nov 2025 14:06:00 EST Analysis of the 2024 Small Business Credit Survey is available now. Read this article for an introduction to our infographic fact sheets, profiling eight geographies within the Atlanta Fed’s Sixth District and summarizing key findings from the 2024 SBCS. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/workforce-currents/2025/11/05/02-will-tight-labor-markets-be-the-new-normal Wed, 05 Nov 2025 00:00:00 EST Declining immigration and overall population, an aging workforce these are some of the factors contributing to a tight labor market. Will expanding the effective labor supply be the solution? This article explores options for easing the labor market strain. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/working-papers/2025/10/16/14-coboling-together-ui-benefits-how-delays-in-fiscal-stabilizers-affect-aggregate-consumption Thu, 16 Oct 2025 14:25:00 EST The US experienced an unprecedented increase in unemployment insurance (UI) claims beginning in March 2020. The author finds that states that used an antiquated programming language, COBOL, experienced a 2.8-percentage point decline in card consumption relative to the card consumption in states with more modern UI benefit systems. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/working-papers/2025/10/14/13-evaluating-transporation-improvements-quantitatively-a-primer Tue, 14 Oct 2025 11:25:00 EST Examining welfare gains from transportation infrastructure investment, the authors assess the welfare impact of upgrading segments of the US Interstate Highway System, highlighting where the returns to investment are highest. https://www.atlantafed.org/what-we-study/payments/2025/10/14/using-digital-identity-to-support-access-to-payments Tue, 14 Oct 2025 11:22:00 EST This paper explores how digital ID solutions can expand financial access, safeguard against fraud, and ensure regulatory adherence amid the rise of digital payments and financial services. https://www.atlantafed.org/what-we-study/payments/2025/10/14/using-digital-identity-to-support-access-to-payments Tue, 14 Oct 2025 11:22:00 EST This paper explores how digital ID solutions can expand financial access, safeguard against fraud, and ensure regulatory adherence amid the rise of digital payments and financial services. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/working-papers/2025/10/09/12-on-model-aggregation-and-forecast-combination Thu, 09 Oct 2025 14:27:00 EST The authors of this working paper look at robust aggregation of information under pervasive model uncertainty. Their proposed method offers a scientific basis for the informal way policy makers refer to diversity of opinions and models available to them. The paper presents compelling evidence for the advantages of entropy-based aggregation for forecasting inflation. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/working-papers/2025/10/08/11-from-skills-to-occupations-comparative-advantage-and-cross-country-income-differences Wed, 08 Oct 2025 14:27:00 EST Examining the role of human capital in cross-country income differences, the authors of this working paper develop a general equilibrium model where workers of different skill groups sort into occupations by comparative advantage. https://www.atlantafed.org/research-and-data/publications/working-papers/2025/10/06/10-assess-role-of-global-demand-supply-shocks-in-recent-us-inflation-experience-using-cross-country-dataset-of-prof-forcasts Mon, 06 Oct 2025 14:27:00 EST The author of this working paper assembles a quarterly international panel of professional forecasts and real-time data to estimate global supply and demand shocks and their impact on US economic growth and inflation both before and since 2020.