The U.S. stock market reflects expectations for future economic performance and corporate profitability. In 2025, the S&P 500, a broad benchmark index for U.S. large company (large-cap) stocks, rose to record highs. However, in a major shift for stock market performance, the U.S. stock market lagged behind most major foreign stock markets. This blog will […]
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I am excited to announce that Mashaal Stanekzai has joined the Center for Business and Economic Insight team as a research assistant this fall. Mashaal holds a double major in accounting and business administration and has a minor in economics. Mashaal is also a budding entrepreneur as an owner of Al Madinah Cuisine and Asian […]
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As 2025 comes to an end, it’s a mixed bag for the U.S. economy. Tariffs played the central role in shaping U.S. economic policy in 2025, and the long-term impact of tariffs is yet to be realized. 2026 features much uncertainty surrounding tariffs, namely legal issues, tariff implementation, and economic effects. By historical standards, the […]
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Overview The Federal Reserve is the key driver of short-term interest rates in the United States economy through its monetary policy, which is implemented primarily through targeting the federal (fed) funds rate. The fed funds rate is the overnight borrowing rate between banks, a very short-term interest rate that when changed, typically has a rippling […]
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By historical standards, the U.S. unemployment rate was at a relatively low 4.3% in August. Dissecting the overall unemployment rate into the unemployment rate for various worker groups, however, provides greater insight and a different perspective on the labor market. This blog will take a look at some of the labor market challenges for various […]
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2025 has been a turbulent year for tariffs and trade, with U.S. trade policy resulting in much international economic and trade uncertainty. Executive orders and trade deals have changed the tariff landscape on almost a weekly basis. Prior to 2025, global tariff rates were relatively low since early this century. That changed in 2025, when […]
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While America awaits the ultimate impact of tariffs and trade wars on prices, this blog will provide an update on how prices have performed in the first half of 2025. The final resolution of tariffs, trade wars, and any trade agreements will take some time to work through the U.S. economy, and any trade agreement […]
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Thank you, Michael and Welcome, Naomi! by Scott Wallace Michael Brierton, senior research assistant, has accomplished much during his three-year academic career at UWSP. Michael and fellow accounting major Brooke Peterson recently took first place at the Wisconsin RMA Commercial Lending Case Competition for the second year in a row. Michael presented his research, A […]
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The United States entered 2025 with the largest and strongest economy in the world. In 2024, moderate economic growth continued, with more Americans working than ever before. Job gains were recorded in every month with December the 48th consecutive month of job growth. The labor market was balanced with unemployment hovering around 4.0% and real […]
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Sentry School of Business and Economics student Michael Brierton was among elite undergraduate students from around the Universities of Wisconsin at the 21st annual Research in the Rotunda at the State Capitol in Madison on April 2. [View Photos] Supported by Sentry School faculty member Prof. Scott Wallace, Brierton presented “Comparative Study of Credit Unions […]
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