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Current Economic State Paper

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Current Economic State Paper
Jackson Kimberly
FP/120
February 26, 2013
Kmiec Stephen

Current Economic State Paper
Introduction: This current economic state paper will explain if the current economy is expanding or contracting and reasons for that. It will also discuss the current prime rate, current interest rates on credit cards, current unemployment rate, and the current Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The economic factors that had led to a fairly good third quarter were only temporary and there was proof that the economy was slowing down in the last months of 2012 due to the skepticism over the impending fiscal cliff. Also, Hurricane Sandy that hit in late October 2012 was to have somewhat of a negative impact on the economy. There were clues that the economy may have actually slightly contracted instead of expanding.
“The United States economy reversed course in the final quarter of 2012 and contracted at a 0.1% rate and was the worst performance since the financial crisis in 2009.” (Mataconis, 2013) .
Even with the overall contraction, the economy is not on the brink of a recession or an extended slump. Companies are still spending. The economy we have been living in since 2009 is going to be the new normal.
The prime rate is the underlying index for most credit cards, home equity loans and lines of credit, auto loans, and personal loans. The current prime rate is 3.25%, federal discount rate is 0.75%, fed funds rate is 0.25%, and the 11th District cost of funds is 1.071%. Changes made with federal funds rate and the discount rate also dictate changes in the Wall Street Journal prime rate, which is the interest to borrowers. (Bankrate.com, 2013)
The current fixed interest rate for credit cards is 13.02% and for variable interest rate for credit cards are at 15.14%.
“The unemployment rate falls to 7.8% as the economy creates 114,000 jobs.” (Economy Watch, 2013) The unemployment report is based on the household survey and it measures the number of jobless as a percentage of the labor force. It includes the jobless who are out there seeking work and excludes people who have left the work force and are not applying for jobs.
The current U.S inflation rate is 1.6%. The inflation rate is an important economic indicator. It tells you how fast prices are changing in the economy.
Gross Domestic Product is the value of all goods and services produced in the U.S. The GDP figure is released quarterly. The current GDP is at 15829.0%.
Financial responsibilities change as one’s life circumstances change. The more we know about what is going on with our economy and learn to understand costs and rates, the better we are in making the right financial choices to fit our needs. Our personal financial decisions are most heavily influenced by consumer prices, consumer spending, and interest rates.

References
Bankrate.com. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.bankrate.com/rates/interest-rates/prime-rate.aspx
Economy Watch. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economywatch/unemployment-rate-falls-7-8-economy-creates-114-000-jobs-1C6297030
Mataconis, D. (2013). Intial GDP Report Shows Economy Contracting In Final Quarter of 2012. Retrieved from http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/initial-gdp-report-shows-economy-contracting-in-final-quarter-of-2012/

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