Economy Matters

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This podcast, which accompanies the Atlanta Fed’s Economy Matters online magazine, is a monthly series featuring in-depth discussions of topics related to the work of the Atlanta Fed, including economic research, bank supervision and regulation, and the payments system.

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta


    • Mar 12, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 28m AVG DURATION
    • 108 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Economy Matters

    "We're Helping Set Them Up for Success as Adults": The Fed and Economic Education

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2025 28:00


    In a rapidly evolving economy, being financially literate arguably matters more than ever. April is Financial Literacy Month, and two Atlanta Fed economic education experts discuss their work reaching students and teachers in this episode of the Economy Matters podcast.

    "We're Going to See Affordability Remain a Challenge": Discussing the State of the Housing Market

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2025 31:55


    A pandemic, inflation, interest rate swings—the housing sector has seen a lot of tumult in recent years. What does the residential real estate market look like today? An Atlanta Fed housing expert attempts to explain in this episode of the Economy Matters podcast.

    "There's Still a Lot of Uncertainty": Atlanta Fed President Bostic Looks Back on 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2025 34:23


    From bringing inflation under control to maintaining a strong labor market, the eventful year that was 2024 gave Atlanta Fed president Raphael Bostic much to do as a monetary policymaker. Bostic joins the Economy Matters podcast to discuss the past year and how he approached his work.

    "We Need to Directly Engage Folks": The Atlanta Fed and Public Outreach

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2024 24:16


    Two years ago, Mike Chriszt, the Atlanta Fed's regional outreach officer, began an initiative to engage the public and explain the bank's role in the economy. He joins the podcast to discuss his experiences.

    'The Atlanta Fed Is Truly Present in Our Communities': A Conversation about Collecting Economic Intelligence

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2024 18:23


    Michelle Dennard, regional executive at the Atlanta Fed's Jacksonville Branch, joins the podcast to discuss how she gathers the regional economic intelligence that goes into the formulation of monetary policy.

    "It's a Vital Part of the Social Welfare Program": Talking About Social Security Disability Insurance

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2024 29:37


    Atlanta Fed economist David Wiczer joins the Economy Matters podcast to discuss his recent research into the Social Security Disability Insurance program.

    "That Has Strong Long-Term Implications": A Conversation about the Housing Market

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2024 5:15


    In this episode of the Economy Matters podcast, an Atlanta Fed housing expert discusses factors at work in residential real estate including interest rates, housing supply, and regional trends in affordability.

    A Discussion of the Changing US Labor Force

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2024 18:22


    Recession, demographic shifts, a global financial crisis, and a pandemic are some factors that have contributed in recent years to significant changes to the US labor force. The Atlanta Fed's Nye Hodge joins the Economy Matters podcast to discuss some of these changes and how to interpret them.

    "How Do We Prepare for the Future?": A Conversation about Financial Literacy and Economic Education

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2024 19:09


    April is Financial Literacy Month, so in this episode of the Economy Matters podcast, Jackie Morgan of the Atlanta Fed's economic education team sits down to discuss efforts to further financial literacy throughout the region.

    "It's Important to Understand How These Communities Are Faring": Discussing Rental Instability in the Southeast

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2024 33:13


    Rental instability afflicts a large number of people--not just in the Southeast, but nationally. The Atlanta Fed's Sarah Stein, an adviser in the Community and Economic Development group, joins the podcast to discuss her recent research into the problem and possible remedies.

    "We Take a Very Purposeful Approach": A Talk about Gathering Economic Intelligence

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2023 60:04


    How is economic intelligence gathered, and how does it factor into monetary policymaking? This episode of the Economy Matters  podcast features two Atlanta Fed regional executives who discuss the process.

    "Where We Are in Housing Is Pretty Extraordinary": Discussing Residential Real Estate

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2023 24:41


    The Southeast's housing market remains robust, even as interest rates and a tight market hamper affordability. This episode of the Economy Matters podcast features a conversation with an Atlanta Fed housing expert on factors at work in the market.

    "The Fed Is Committed to Encouraging an Economy that Works for All": A Conversation about Payments

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2023 33:55


    What's in your wallet? This episode of the Economy Matters podcast explores recent changes in the US payments ecosystem, which has expanded considerably with the introduction of new technologies and services.

    Filling In the (Pot)holes: A Discussion of Electric Vehicles and Gas Tax Collection

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2023 25:51


    The tax on gasoline has long been a reliable source of revenue for maintaining roads, but will the growing popularity of electric vehicles disrupt this formula? This episode of the Economy Matters podcast discusses Atlanta Fed research into the question.

    "The Winners Turn Out to Be Young, Working-Age Households": A Discussion of Demographic Shifts

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2023 20:21


    Economic changes inevitably follow demographic changes. In this episode of the Economy Matters podcast, Atlanta Fed economist Toni Braun talks about his research into the aging of the US economy and what it might mean for the macroeconomy, including the inflation rate.

    "It Can't Take the Place of Having a Conversation": A Discussion about Gathering Economic Intelligence

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2023 30:58


    The Atlanta Fed constantly seeks information about the regional economy. In this episode of the Economy Matters podcast, Shari Bower of the Miami Branch and Anoop Mishra of the Birmingham Branch discuss their efforts and what they mean for policymaking.

    "We Have Already Seen Dramatic Changes in Consumer Payment Behavior": A Conversation about How People Pay

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2023 22:39


    How consumers pay for goods and services has evolved rapidly in recent years. Atlanta Fed payments risk expert Dave Lott joins the Economy Matters podcast to discuss these changes and the factors behind them.

    "Some Firms Are Just Born Different": A Discussion of Firms and Innovation

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2023 24:42


    Why do some firms thrive and even spin off other successful firms? Atlanta Fed research economist Salome Baslandze joins the Economy Matters podcast to discuss her research into the question.

    How Merit America is using Google Career Certificates Training to Create a More Equitable and Inclusive Job Market

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2023 36:59


    In this episode of Workforce Realigned, the eighth episode in the special series within the Economy Matters podcast, Merit America—the inaugural training provider of the Google Certificates Fund—joins to share how learners gain new skills and are supported through this program.

    How Google is Driving Economic Mobility with an Innovative Investment Fund

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2023 35:40


    In this episode of Workforce Realigned, the seventh in the Economy Matters special podcast series, hear about the Google Career Certificates Fund, which was created to support more than 20,000 learners to realize over $1 billion in aggregate wage gains over the next decade.

    New Jersey Pay It Forward Program Prepares Students for Well-Paying Jobs

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2023 41:36


    The sixth episode of Workforce Realigned, an Economy Matters special podcast series, highlights the New Jersey Pay It Forward Program, helping career seekers complete training programs that would otherwise be unaffordable or inaccessible.

    "It Can Undermine Economic Mobility": A Discussion of Heirs Property

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2023 31:19


    Heirs property, or property whose ownership is not clear, is a problem regionally and nationally. The Atlanta Fed's Sarah Stein, an adviser in the Community and Economic Development group, joins the Economy Matters podcast to discuss heirs property and ways to mitigate its economic effects.

    "Transparency Helps Us Earn the Trust of the American People": Discussing Outreach to the Public

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2023 29:07


    Furthering the public's understanding of the Federal Reserve is a top goal of the Atlanta Fed. Regional outreach officer Mike Chriszt joins the Economy Matters podcast to discuss his efforts to clarify the Bank's role in monetary policymaking.

    "All These Factors Are Compounding": A Discussion of the Housing Market

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2022 28:52


    In this episode of the Economy Matters podcast, an Atlanta Fed subject matter expert discusses interest rates, affordability, supply and demand, and other factors affecting the housing market, both regionally and nationally.

    "It's Important That We Are as Tuned In as Possible": A Conversation about Economic Information

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 8, 2022 27:15


    The Atlanta Fed gathers firsthand economic information at the grassroots level from all over the Southeast. The conversation in this episode of the Economy Matters podcast talks to two Bank executives about how they gather information and how they use it.

    "We Have Formed Really Good Relationships with Our Member Banks": A Conversation about Banking

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2022 21:06


    Banking is a large and complex system whose proper functioning most people take for granted. This episode of the Economy Matters podcast talks to two Atlanta Fed experts about banking and the business of banking.

    "It's a Harder Environment to Forecast In": Discussing the Science of Measuring GDP

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2022 23:29


    The pandemic's impact on the economy significantly complicated how we measure gross domestic product. Pat Higgins, an Atlanta Fed economist, joins the Economy Matters podcast to discuss the GDPNow tool and recent developments in gross domestic product.

    "It's at Historically Low Levels": A Conversation about Housing Affordability

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2022 28:35


    Between tight supplies and rising interest rates, housing affordability has been on a sharp decline. The conversation in this episode of the Economy Matters podcast talks about these and other factors affecting housing affordability.

    "The Pandemic Really Accelerated Trends": A Conversation about Banking

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 4, 2022 8:06


    Southeastern bankers have been attempting to return to a new normalcy after a couple of eventful years. This episode of the Economy Matters podcast features a talk with Doris Quiros, head of the Atlanta Fed's Supervision, Regulation, and Credit Division.

    Turning a Paper Check into Cryptocurrency: Fraudsters' Newest Trick

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2022 19:57


    A new form of financial crime involves an old payment method: the humble paper check. In this episode of the Economy Matters podcast, an expert on cybercrime and cybersecurity talks about how criminals use checks to commit payment fraud.

    "Affordability Has Been Declining": A Discussion of Housing Affordability

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 28, 2021 17:43


    Several discrete factors have combined to make housing less affordable on a nationwide basis. The conversation in this episode of the Economy Matters podcast analyzes those factors and their varied effects on the affordability of US housing markets.

    "Trust Is the Bedrock of Economic Activity": A Conversation about Financial Empowerment

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2021 38:22


    In this episode of the Economy Matters podcast, an expert on payments discusses reaching different populations, how to foster trust in the evolving financial system, and what payments innovation can mean to financially marginalized groups.

    "It's Just a Fascinating Space": A Conversation about the Payments System

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2021 30:55


    The payments ecosystem is changing rapidly, with consumers seeing an array of new tools and payment methods. The Economy Matters podcast features a conversation with Atlanta Fed experts who discuss some of the changes--and the importance of supervision keeping pace.

    A Conversation about Surveillance and Assessment of Online Payments-Related Crimes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2021 21:36


    In this episode of the Economy Matters podcast, an expert on cybercrime and cybersecurity talks about his work, and his partnership with the Atlanta Fed, to combat the growing threat of crime related to online payments.

    Accelerating Economic Mobility: Career Impact Bonds for Workforce Training

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2021 48:45


    In this episode (the fifth of five) of Workforce Realigned, an Economy Matters special podcast series, a group of experts discuss innovative ways of financing worker development and training and how they are achieving measurable outcomes.

    Higher Ed Funding: Linking Technical College Dollars to Workforce Outcomes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2021 36:38


    In this episode (the fourth of five) of Workforce Realigned, an Economy Matters special podcast series, college chancellor Michael Reeser talks about the role higher education occupies in workforce development and how it can positively influence overall employment outcomes.

    Paying for Outcomes: Innovative Funding Tools for the Public Sector

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2021 41:19


    In this episode (the third of five) of Workforce Realigned, an Economy Matters special podcast series, former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick and former House speaker Paul Ryan have a conversation about the risks and rewards of attempting new approaches to workforce development.

    Reshaping Capitalism around Impact: Centering Outcomes in the Economy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2021 49:40


    In this episode (the second of five) of Workforce Realigned, an Economy Matters special podcast series, workforce development experts Ronald Cohen and Gayatri Agnew discuss the challenges and opportunities involved in innovatively funding workforce development.

    Workforce Misaligned: Economic Immobility and a Path to Resurgence

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2021 36:46


    In this episode (the first of five) of Workforce Realigned, an Economy Matters special podcast series, Atlanta Fed president Raphael Bostic and Minneapolis Fed president Neel Kashkari talk about the role of workforce development in building a resilient and inclusive economy.

    "Nationally, Housing Is Unaffordable": A Conversation on Housing Affordability

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2020


    "Nationally, Housing Is Unaffordable": A Conversation on Housing Affordability

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2020 28:37


    Many factors combine to affect housing affordability. This episode of the Economy Matters podcast features a discussion of the Atlanta Fed's new tool for assessing nationwide housing affordability.

    "It's Going to Be Interesting to Watch": A Conversation about Unemployment Claims Data

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2020


    "It's Going to Be Interesting to Watch": A Conversation about Unemployment Claims Data

    Financial Tech Is Everywhere

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2020 13:05


    A routine (pre-pandemic) commute brings home the prevalence of new payment tools built on financial technology, or fintech. Listen to this Economy Matters podcast episode explore how fintech transforms even the smallest transactions. And two fintech entrepreneurs discuss navigating this topsy-turvy industry.

    Financial Tech Is Everywhere

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2020


    "You Can Build the Infrastructure from Zero": A Conversation about Digital Adoption in Emerging Economies

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2020


    "You Can Build the Infrastructure from Zero": A Conversation about Digital Adoption in Emerging Economies

    "These Local Problems Do Have Some National Solutions": A Conversation about Inequality

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2020


    "These Local Problems Do Have Some National Solutions": A Conversation about Inequality

    "Threats Can Come in Many Forms": A Conversation about Data Breach Prevention

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2020


    Wings over America: A Conversation with Author James Fallows

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2020


    Wings over America: A Conversation with Author James Fallows

    "They're Really Punching above Their Own Weight": Venture Capital and Firm Growth

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2019


    "They're Really Punching above Their Own Weight": Venture Capital and Firm Growth

    "Get to Know Your Workforce": Discussing the Benefits Cliff

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2019


    "Get to Know Your Workforce": Discussing the Benefits Cliff

    "It's Core to the Overall Mission": Bank Supervision and the Fed

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2019


    "It's Core to the Overall Mission": Bank Supervision and the Fed

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