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Ethanol: Economic Gain or Drain?

What should be the federal government's role in ethanol production and use?

Join the poll.

Do Smoking Bans Make Economic Sense?

Should state and city legislatures pass laws to keep smokers from lighting up in public places, or should they just butt out of this issue? St. Louis Fed economist Michael Pakko talks about smoking bans and whether they help or hurt the economy in this 21-minute audiocast. Listen | Learn more

The Federal Reserve System Online

The Federal Reserve has developed an online gateway with links to all 12 Fed web sites, the Board of Governors and more. Take a look.

Resources

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FAQ Database

Beige Book: Weakening Economic Conditions in Eighth District

The pace of economic activity slowed across the nation in late July and August, according to the latest issue of the Beige Book. In the Eighth District, conditions have softened since the previous report. Hear more in an interview with Fed Economist Howard Wall.

Central Banker: Bank Failures Illustrate Fundamentals

The recent failures of ANB Financial and IndyMac illustrate how missing the basics of sound banking leads to serious problems. The fall issue of Central Banker, our quarterly overview of Fed policies, initiatives and news affecting Eighth District financial institutions, expands on those essentials by examining what prompt corrective action means for a bank’s liquidity. (Read more.)

Latest Review Covers Credit Crunch, Banking Crises

In the September/October issue of the St. Louis Fed's Review, visiting scholar Paul Mizen tells the story of the subprime failure leading up to the 2007-08 credit crunch, with definitions of terms and concepts, references to commentary on the main issues, and context and explanation of why the credit crunch occurred. In a complementary article, economists Alistair Milne and Geoffrey Wood offer a brief historical context and a detailed account of the run on the Northern Rock bank and the government and central bank response. (Read more.)

Fed Releases Mortgage Refinancing Guide for Consumers

The Federal Reserve Board announced Aug. 28 the launch of an online resource to help consumers make informed choices when refinancing a home loan.   "A Consumer’s Guide to Mortgage Refinancing" contains useful tips and answers to frequently asked questions about the refinancing process.

Elizabeth Duke Sworn in as Fed Governor

Elizabeth A. Duke took the oath of office as a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System on Aug. 5. The oath was administered by Chairman Ben S. Bernanke in the Chairman's office. She will participate in and vote at the Aug. 5 meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee. (Read more.)

Fed Amends Home Mortgage Provisions of Regulation Z

The Federal Reserve on July 14 approved a final rule for home mortgage loans to better protect consumers and facilitate responsible lending. The rule prohibits unfair, abusive or deceptive home mortgage lending practices and restricts certain other mortgage practices. The final rule also establishes advertising standards and requires certain mortgage disclosures to be given to consumers earlier in the transaction. (Read more.)

If Necessary, Fed Will Lend to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

The Fed's Board of Governors announced July 13 that it has granted the Federal Reserve Bank of New York the authority to lend to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should such lending prove necessary. (Read more.)

Federal Reserve and SEC Issue Memorandum of Understanding

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Christopher Cox and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke on July 7 signed a memorandum of understanding between the two agencies that will deepen their information sharing and cooperation, permitting both agencies to better perform their responsibilities. (Read more.)

Earnings Inequality within the Urban United States:  2000 to 2006

This new study looks at one of the most striking economic trends in the United States: the ever-widening wage gap between workers at the top end of the pay scale and those at the low end. In Earnings Inequality within the Urban United States: 2000 to 2006, economist Christopher H. Wheeler discusses the reasons behind this continuing trend and what public policymakers can do about it. The study includes information on four metropolitan areas within the Eighth Federal Reserve District—Little Rock, Louisville, Memphis and St. Louis.

Ethanol: Shucking the Hype

Corn-based ethanol can make a dent in demand for oil, but at what price? Food costs go up. Environmental damage worsens. If oil prices fall, ethanol production could collapse—as it did 20 years ago. Read more about these issues in the July issue of The Regional Economist.

Bridges: Innovation in Rural Communities

Big things are happening in small towns, as the Bank’s Community Development Office learned during its Exploring Innovation in Community Development Week this past spring. One of those towns, Dyess, Ark., is highlighted in the summer issue of Bridges. Other topics in the newsletter are affordable “green” housing, philanthropic organizations and the foreclosure crisis, and proposed rules designed to prevent unfair practices regarding credit cards.

Burgundy Books Show Mixed Conditions in Eighth District

The St. Louis Fed's June Burgundy Books reveal mixed conditions in the District's St. Louis and Memphis zones, slowing economic activity in the Little Rock zone and weak activity continuing in the Louisville zone. In conjunction with the release of the reports, St. Louis Fed economists Michael Pakko and Howard Wall provide audio commentary on economic conditions in each zone. Listen to St. Louis | Little Rock | Louisville | Memphis.

Fed Sets Up National Minority-Owned Bank Program

The Federal Reserve System on June 18 launched Partnership for Progress, an outreach and technical assistance program for minority-owned and de novo institutions. Banks can access these resources by visiting a newly developed web site that supports the program. (Learn more.)

November Conference Examines Economics of Ethanol

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and Washington University will host a conference Nov. 14 on the economics of ethanol. This non-technical conference includes sessions on the profitability of ethanol processing and the impact of ethanol subsidies on rural economies. Other topics include the environmental effects of ethanol production, energy balance with fossil fuels, effects on food prices, subsidy rate relative to oil and gas, and effects on farm production decisions. (Learn more.)

Data Sources

ALFRED® (Archival Federal Reserve Economic Data) is an application for retrieving vintage versions of economic data.

CASSIDI® (Competitive Analysis and Structure Source Instrument for Depository Institutions) is the St. Louis Fed's banking market structure and competitive analysis online application.

FRASER® (Federal Reserve Archival System for Economic Research) provides historical economic statistical publications, releases and documents.

FRED® is the Federal Reserve's economic and financial database.

GeoFRED™ enables users to create thematic maps of U.S. economic data by state, county or metropolitan statistical area.