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Cost-of-living Index
A cost-of-living index is a theoretical price index that measures relative cost of living over time or regions. It is an index that measures differences in the price of goods and services, and allows for substitutions with other items as prices vary. There are many different methods that have been developed to approximate the cost of living index. A Konüs index is a type of cost-of-living index that uses an expenditure function such as one used in assessing expected compensating variation. The expected indirect utility is equated in both periods. Application to price index theory The United States Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a price index that is based on the idea of a cost-of-living index. The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) explains the differences: The CPI frequently is called a cost-of-living index, but it differs in important ways from a complete cost-of-living measure. BLS has for some time used a cost-of-living framework in making prac ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Price Index
A price index (''plural'': "price indices" or "price indexes") is a normalized average (typically a weighted average) of price relatives for a given class of goods or services in a specific region over a defined time period. It is a statistic designed to measure how these price relatives, as a whole, differ between time periods or geographical locations, often expressed relative to a base period set at 100. Price indices serve multiple purposes. Broad indices, like the Consumer price index, reflect the economy’s general price level or cost of living, while narrower ones, such as the Producer price index, assist producers with pricing and business planning. They can also guide investment decisions by tracking price trends. Types of price indices Some widely recognized price indices include: * Consumer price index – Measures retail price changes for consumer goods and services. * Producer price index – Tracks wholesale price changes for producers. * Wholesal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Utility
In economics, utility is a measure of a certain person's satisfaction from a certain state of the world. Over time, the term has been used with at least two meanings. * In a normative context, utility refers to a goal or objective that we wish to maximize, i.e., an objective function. This kind of utility bears a closer resemblance to the original utilitarian concept, developed by moral philosophers such as Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. * In a descriptive context, the term refers to an ''apparent'' objective function; such a function is revealed by a person's behavior, and specifically by their preferences over lotteries, which can be any quantified choice. The relationship between these two kinds of utility functions has been a source of controversy among both economists and ethicists, with most maintaining that the two are distinct but generally related. Utility function Consider a set of alternatives among which a person has a preference ordering. A utility fu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Inflation Hedge
An inflation hedge is an investment intended to protect the investor against— hedge—a decrease in the purchasing power of money—inflation. There is no investment known to be a successful hedge in all inflationary environments, just as there is no asset class guaranteed to increase in value in non-inflationary times. Conventional strategies for protecting wealth from inflation normally involve diversification into traditional assets like common stocks, gold, fixed-income securities, and real estate, but new strategies have value-generating assets like solar photovoltaics. Overview Inflation can impact investment decisions by making it difficult to predict future prices. This makes it risky to invest in certain assets, such as commodities, that may be impacted by inflation. Inflation can erode the value of investments over time. This is why it is important for investors to consider inflation when making investment decisions. ''Barron's Finance & Investment Handbook'' state ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Inflation
In economics, inflation is an increase in the average price of goods and services in terms of money. This increase is measured using a price index, typically a consumer price index (CPI). When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation corresponds to a reduction in the purchasing power of money. The opposite of CPI inflation is deflation, a decrease in the general price level of goods and services. The common measure of inflation is the inflation rate, the annualized percentage change in a general price index. Changes in inflation are widely attributed to fluctuations in Real versus nominal value (economics), real demand for goods and services (also known as demand shocks, including changes in fiscal policy, fiscal or monetary policy), changes in available supplies such as during energy crisis, energy crises (also known as supply shocks), or changes in inflation expectations, which may be self-fulfilling. Moderat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Median House Price To Income Ratio
The Median multiple or Median house price to income ratio is a housing indicator used to indicate the affordability of housing in any given community. The Median house price to income ratio was the primary indicator H1 of the 1991 World Bank/UNCHS Housing Indicator system. It was subsequently used as a measure of affordability by the UN Commission for Sustainable Development, the National Association of Realtors, State of the Environment 2003 Tasmania, and the Mortgage Guide UK. The indicator has been popularised by Demographia International, and was called the 'Median multiple' from their second comparative international survey in 2006. The median multiple is the ratio of the median house price by the median gross (before tax) annual household income. This measure has historically hovered around a value of 3 or less, but in recent years has risen dramatically, especially in markets with public policy constraints on land and development. Housing Affordability Rating The 202 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cost-of-living Crisis
A cost-of-living crisis refers to a socioeconomic situation or period of high inflation where nominal wages have stagnated while there is a sharp increase in the cost of basic goods, such as food, housing, and energy. As a result, living standards are squeezed to the point that people cannot afford the standard of living that they were previously accustomed to. Public health is threatened. The population becomes 'poorer' than it used to be in real terms. This is in contrast to a situation in which wages are rising to meet the rate of inflation and workers' standard of living remains unchanged. During the 2020s, a cost-of-living crisis impacted many countries around the world amid global inflation. In February 2023, 3 out of 4 consumers globally were worried about the rising cost of everyday expenses. ''The Big Issue'' defines a cost of living crisis as "a situation in which the cost of everyday essentials like groceries and bills are rising faster than average household income ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Consumer Price Index
A consumer price index (CPI) is a statistical estimate of the level of prices of goods and services bought for consumption purposes by households. It is calculated as the weighted average price of a market basket of Goods, consumer goods and Service (economics), services. Changes in CPI track changes in prices over time. The items in the basket are updated periodically to reflect changes in consumer spending habits. The prices of the goods and services in the basket are collected (often monthly) from a sample of retail and service establishments. The prices are then adjusted for changes in quality or features. Changes in the CPI can be used to track inflation over time and to compare inflation rates between different countries. While the CPI is not a perfect measure of inflation or the cost of living, it is a useful tool for tracking these economic indicators. It is one of several Price index, price indices calculated by many national statistical agencies. Overview A CPI is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
ACCRA Cost Of Living Index
The Cost of Living Index (COLI), formerly the ''ACCRA Cost of Living Index'' is a measure of living cost differences among urban areas in the United States compiled by the Council for Community and Economic Research. First published in 1968, the index compares the price of goods and services among metro areas across the US. The index is widely used by economists, researchers and corporation A corporation or body corporate is an individual or a group of people, such as an association or company, that has been authorized by the State (polity), state to act as a single entity (a legal entity recognized by private and public law as ...s to measure relative cost of living. References External linksCost of Living Index Price indices Economy of the United States {{econometrics-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Substitute Good
In microeconomics, substitute goods are two goods that can be used for the same purpose by consumers. That is, a consumer perceives both goods as similar or comparable, so that having more of one good causes the consumer to desire less of the other good. Contrary to complementary goods and independent goods, substitute goods may replace each other in use due to changing economic conditions. An example of substitute goods is Coca-Cola and Pepsi; the interchangeable aspect of these goods is due to the similarity of the purpose they serve, i.e. fulfilling customers' desire for a soft drink. These types of substitutes can be referred to as close substitutes. Substitute goods are commodity which the consumer demanded to be used in place of another good. Economic theory describes two goods as being close substitutes if three conditions hold: # products have the same or similar performance characteristics # products have the same or similar occasion for use and # products are sold in th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
List Of Price Index Formulas
A price index (''plural'': "price indices" or "price indexes") is a normalized average (typically a weighted average) of price relatives for a given class of goods or services in a specific region over a defined time period. It is a statistic designed to measure how these price relatives, as a whole, differ between time periods or geographical locations, often expressed relative to a base period set at 100. Price indices serve multiple purposes. Broad indices, like the Consumer price index, reflect the economy’s general price level or cost of living, while narrower ones, such as the Producer price index, assist producers with pricing and business planning. They can also guide investment decisions by tracking price trends. Types of price indices Some widely recognized price indices include: * Consumer price index – Measures retail price changes for consumer goods and services. * Producer price index – Tracks wholesale price changes for producers. * Wholesale pri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Public Good (economics)
In economics, a public good (also referred to as a social good or collective good)Oakland, W. H. (1987). Theory of public goods. In Handbook of public economics (Vol. 2, pp. 485–535). Elsevier. is a commodity, product or service that is both non-excludable and non-rivalrous and which is typically provided by a government and paid for through taxation. Use by one person neither prevents access by other people, nor does it reduce availability to others, so the good can be used simultaneously by more than one person. This is in contrast to a common good, such as wild fish stocks in the ocean, which is non-excludable but rivalrous to a certain degree. If too many fish were harvested, the stocks would deplete, limiting the access of fish for others. A public good must be valuable to more than one user, otherwise, its simultaneous availability to more than one person would be economically irrelevant. Capital goods may be used to produce public goods or services that are "...ty ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
