Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Difficulty finding affordable homes isn’t the only housing issue faced by families with low and moderate incomes. Living in a home that has deteriorated can affect health and present another affordability issue: Paying for repairs. University of Missouri–St. Louis professor Todd Swanstrom, a speaker at our upcoming March 13 symposium on home repair, discusses research on housing deterioration and how some programs have started to address the issue. The Q&A is on our blog: https://ow.ly/NOOv50V6lMb

How much time could generative #AI save U.S. #workers? And how might that translate into overall productivity gains? Dissecting a recent survey, St. Louis Fed economist Alexander Bick and his co-authors find that U.S. workers using this new technology reported saving an estimated 5.4% of their work hours. This suggests a 1.1% increase in productivity for the entire workforce. Read the analysis: https://ow.ly/KI8650V7ZSM #economy #productivity #innovation

Fox2News’ Studio STL featured our #Economy Museum’s exhibits, interactive games, gold bar, and the many free personal finance and economic teaching resources the St. Louis Fed offers: https://ow.ly/uYyQ50V74BH. Check out the video: https://ow.ly/9knA50V74BG

Here’s a roundup🔍 of the latest economic research and data from the St. Louis Fed: ➡️“Why Are Illiquid Households Affected More by Inflation?” – Unexpected inflation can affect households in different ways, depending on the mix of assets and liabilities they own. How does access to credit also affect inflation’s impact on households? Economist Yu-Ting Chiang and research associate Mikolaj Dueholm examine this question: https://ow.ly/Xu4V50V6y8P ➡️“How Did U.S. Teenagers Benefit from Holiday Employment?” – The employment-to-population ratio for U.S. teenagers, many of whom work in retail and leisure and hospitality sectors, has been falling as labor markets loosen. How much job growth over the holiday season would these industries have needed to reverse teen employment declines? Economist William Rodgers studies the issue: https://ow.ly/mWhl50V6y9z ➡️“The Evolution of Global FDI: Patterns of Investment in Tax Havens and China” – Two interesting patterns have emerged amid a rapid, global rise in firms’ foreign direct investment: China has become an increasingly popular destination for foreign investors, while foreign investments in tax havens have stagnated. Economist Ana Maria Santacreu and research associate Ashley Stewart investigate: https://ow.ly/uM8T50V6yaV ➡️“Is California Losing Its Dominance in the Film Industry?” – In 1999, half of all employment in motion pictures and sound recording was in California. At the end of 2024, that share was down to 25%. See the FRED Blog for more data and discussion on the industry to learn where things stand: https://ow.ly/Nmyx50V6ybH ➡️“The National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1979” – Economist Alex Bick and co-authors assess the National Longitudinal Study of Youth, which has surveyed the same group of residents since 1979. They find the survey, cohort and data still effectively measure key labor market outcomes: https://ow.ly/x5VI50V6ye4 View more research at stlouisfed.org.

The St. Louis Fed is proud to announce the appointment of Daniel Binder, CFA, senior vice president and global treasurer of Walmart Inc. in Bentonville Ark., to our Little Rock Branch board of directors. Congratulations, Dan! Our #StLouis, #LittleRock, #Louisville and #Memphis boards help the St. Louis Fed better understand #economic conditions affecting businesses and communities in the region we serve. Learn more: https://ow.ly/QZmm50V5KGU

Congratulations to Douglas Scarboro for being selected to the #Power100 by the Memphis Business Journal. Learn more about how the Memphis Branch listens and serves communities in the area: https://ow.ly/kVYS50V4FcV

St. Louis Fed President Alberto Musalem discussed the U.S. economic outlook and alternative scenarios with monetary policy implications at an Economic Club of New York event. He also participated in a moderated Q&A during the Feb. 20 event in New York City. Read his prepared remarks: https://ow.ly/xaZN50V3HbQ

We are pleased to welcome our 2025 Community Development Advisory Council. Members represent nonprofit organizations, financial and academic institutions, government and foundations: https://ow.ly/GG7S50V2mgk The council keeps the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis president and Community Development staff informed about relevant issues in the Eighth District and suggests ways the St. Louis Fed might support local community development efforts. Learn more: https://ow.ly/XNGc50V2mgr

Learning about the economies of our region is a critical, hands-on job. Bonus points when I get to wear a hard hat! Thank you Evansville Regional Economic Partnership, Gibbs Die Casting Corporation, Field & Main Bank, and the Risk Management Association of Evansville for showing me a great time, and sharing the successes of Evansville, IN and Henderson, KY. I now know more about molten aluminum than I ever thought I would. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis is #ontheroad

St. Louis Fed economist Chuck Gascon discusses the Evansville, Ind., economy with WNIN-TV, including what’s happening with employment and growth trends. He also talks about factors that might contribute positively and negatively to Evansville’s economy. https://ow.ly/GrtR50V0ygX