On January 31, the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) released its latest food price index report, showing that food prices have trended upward since July 2020. The primary agricultural commodities — soybeans, wheat, and other cereals, corn, rice, a... More »
Since the 1970s, the United States has experienced growing inequality as the wealthy increased their total income share while the middle class shrunk. One of the most important explanations of this phenomenon is rising college premiums coupled with stagnant re... More »
Governments enact federal programs with the hope that they will improve the well-being of their citizens. But how do we know which programs have the highest long-term returns on investment? It is difficult to compare policies from different domains because of ... More »
Amid increasing social attention on sustainability, green investments are drawing interest. Green investments inject money into firms producing and supporting eco-friendly goods and services. For instance, the MSCI Global Environment Index, a stock price index... More »
Whether social media is good or bad for us remains a widely contested topic. Research shows that the same social media networks that can increase voter turnout can also leave us feeling lonely and depressed. So how do we really know if social media’s benefits ... More »
While the threat of the pandemic loomed, Senator Richard Burr (R-NC) was busy stuffing his personal coffers. On Feb. 13, just one day after he was briefed on the severity of COVID-19, Sen. Burr sold over a million dollars in stocks. One week later, the market ... More »
Basic economic theory says that public health lockdowns, such as the ones being imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, are likely to raise food prices and aggravate food insecurities in vulnerable communities. The resulting decline in market activity and the in... More »
As the world grapples with recurring waves of COVID-19 infections, policymakers are struggling to balance public health considerations with reopening the economy. While their tools are limited until a vaccine is widely available, testing can be an effective me... More »
What happens when a welfare program shifts from distributing benefits on the first of the month to a staggered schedule? Research shows that while this change can reduce theft and allow families to minimize food scarcity at the end of the month, there is risk ... More »
The racial wealth gap in the United States is a legacy of nefarious actions and policies such as slavery, Jim Crow laws, and redlining. Based on data from the Survey of Consumer Finances in 2016, the median white family had a net worth of $188,200, nearly eigh... More »
Every year, traffic accidents cause 50 million injuries and 1.35 million deaths globally. A staggering 90% of these deaths happen in developing countries. Though it is difficult to isolate accidents caused by drunk driving, they are estimated to represent 30% ... More »
President-elect Joe Biden is forming a transition team to assume office in January, but the outcome of some Senate elections are still outstanding. While the exact congressional makeup is unclear, more is known about the Biden-Harris transition team, which now... More »