Suppose a Presidential Candidate Campaigns on the Need to Improve

question 223

Essay

Suppose a presidential candidate campaigns on the need to improve U.S. infrastructure, a term for capital goods like bridges, highways, and technology (much of it publicly owned). Which would lead to faster growth: government expenditure on capital goods or expenditure on consumption goods such as sports stadiums? Illustrate your answer, drawing appropriate production possibilities frontiers accompanied by an explanation.

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Definitions:

Cyclical Stock

Stocks whose prices are affected by macroeconomic or systemic changes in the overall economy, usually exhibiting high volatility in line with the business cycle.

Countercyclical Stock

A stock whose performance is inversely related to the economy's performance, often doing well during economic downturns.

U.S. Treasury Bills

Short-term government securities issued at a discount from par value and mature in a year or less, representing a secure debt obligation of the US government.

Risk Level

A measure of the potential for loss in an investment or business venture.