SF Fed Blog
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Here We Go Again: Weak Growth to Start the Year
Economic growth at the start of this year is looking soft. However, historical data suggest some of this slowing may simply reflect a statistical anomaly.
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Why Do Japanese Households Hold So Much Cash?
Japanese households are well known for their preference for cash, which represents the majority of their financial assets. While Japan’s economic and financial history explain part of this behavior, broader structural and cultural factors are also at play.
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A Q&A Session by the Asia Program on Quora
The Country Analysis Unit (CAU) hosted a Quora session on Financial and Economic Development in late 2018. Quora users posed a variety of questions to the CAU team and then voted for those they most wanted to see answered. We have summarized and linked to a number of the most popular questions and answers in this blog.
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Affordable Housing Funds Build on Experience
With the recent launch of two $500 million funds to support below-market housing, increasing attention is being focused on other funds for supporting production and preservation of affordable housing. But loan funds aren’t new, and there’s a lot we can learn from existing funds.
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India’s Aadhaar Challenge: Balancing Data Rights, Financial Inclusion, and Innovation
India’s adoption of unique biometric identities, known as Aadhaar, has catalyzed inclusion and innovation in financial services. However, Aadhaar has always raised concerns over the appropriate use of digital IDs in the broader social fabric. With India’s Supreme Court recently restricting Aadhaar’s use, its role is now in question. Financial market participants will have to adjust to shifts in rules as they balance emerging data rights with gains in inclusion and innovation.
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Did the Yield Curve Flip? Will the Economy Dip?
As the yield curve has continued to flatten, worries about recession risk have increased. However, according to conventional metrics, the current yield curve is not inverted and therefore does not predict a recession in the near future.
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U.S. Currency’s Starring Role in Film
Using United States currency on camera is perfectly legal. But for studios, working with real cash is not always the easiest option.
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Talking about the Economy, 2018 Edition
From bitcoin trading behavior to opioid Rx side effects on disability claims, here’s a round-up of our most talked-about Economic Letter topics of 2018.
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Views into Asia’s Foreign Indebtedness (Part Two)
External imbalances are one factor that can compound a country’s ability to manage its foreign debts. Across Asia, current account surpluses and large stocks of foreign exchange reserves strengthen many countries’ ability to manage their external liabilities. Though several Asian economies face current account deficits or low reserve coverage, they continue to appear more resilient compared to the situations in Argentina and Turkey.
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A Concrete Solution for Cash Shred Recycling
Our Salt Lake City branch’s solution to keeping cash shreds out of landfill? Use the shred residue for fuel consumption and as a component in cement.