Think Like An Economist

We all make decisions about when to spend our money and when to save for our future selves. Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers show you the tools to make the right spending and saving choices at different times of your life, and what it all means for the macroeconomy.

Co-host: Nastaran Tavakoli-Far. Editor: Alastair Elphick. A Modulated Media production.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When businesses invest, they're weighing upfront costs against future gains. Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers show you how executives make smart investment decisions, and how you can use the same ideas to figure out whether to invest in your education, your health, or your financial future.

Co-host: Nastaran Tavakoli-Far. Editor: Alastair Elphick. A Modulated Media production.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you thinking about investing in the Financial Markets? Should you put some of your retirement savings into bonds, or stocks and shares? Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers explain how you can invest and have some simple words of advice for you.

Co-host: Nastaran Tavakoli-Far. Editor: Alastair Elphick. A Modulated Media Production.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can a change in the currency markets change the price of a loaf of bread? And is a strong currency useful? Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers explain how imports and exports are affected by foreign exchange markets.

Co-host: Nastaran Tavakoli-Far. Editor: Alastair Elphick. A Modulated Media production.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even economists find navigating the ups and downs of expansions and recessions tricky. With the COVID-19 recession still affecting millions around the world, Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers help you make sense of the business cycles that affect all of our lives. And they have some handy tools to help you understand where the economy is headed.

Co-host: Nastaran Tavakoli-Far. Editor: Alastair Elphick. A Modulated Media production.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the most important price in the economy? Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers say that it's the interest rate, and they dig into where it comes from, and how it drives all spending in the economy. These big ideas yield a framework called the IS-MP model which policymakers use to help devise fiscal and monetary policies to kick-start the economy.

Co-host: Nastaran Tavakoli-Far. Editor: Alastair Elphick. A Modulated Media production.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why do we end up paying higher prices than we used to? And what are the main causes of this economy-wide inflation? Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers talk us through how expectations influence inflation, and how greater demand, and problems with supply can push up prices.

Co-host: Nastaran Tavakoli-Far. Editor: Alastair Elphick. A Modulated Media production.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a shock such as the Covid pandemic sends waves through the global economy, how do economists find ways to respond? Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers guide you through the Fed Model - the mainstay of policy makers and financiers around the world. They examine the key relationships in the macroeconomy and the shocks that destabilise them.

Co-host: Nastaran Tavakoli-Far. Editor: Alastair Elphick. A Modulated Media production.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time to explore macroeconomics from a new yet familiar perspective, using economy-wide supply and demand curves to forecast the economy's total output and average price level. Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers show you how this perspective can help you diagnose the economy's ills, and prescribe the appropriate policy medicine.

Summary

Co-host: Nastaran Tavakoli-Far. Editor: Alastair Elphick. A Modulated Media production.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Central Banks around the world, such as the Federal Reserve, work to keep the economy running smoothly. They set interest rates and adjust financial conditions to keep inflation and unemployment stable and low. Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers take you to the heart of the Fed's decision making process, and explain how those decisions affect your life and the broader economy. 

Co-host: Nastaran Tavakoli-Far. Editor: Alastair Elphick. A Modulated Media production.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.