Blog Posts

Congratulations to Fernanda Nechio for being appointed as Deputy Governor on the Central Bank of Brazil’s monetary policy committee! In her new office, Nechio will also oversee International Affairs and Corporate Risk Management.

Korea has some of the most supportive policies for startups and small businesses, including an abundant supply of government-backed loans, due to their role as an employment engine. Support for small businesses is poised to remain strong as the country undergoes a strategic shift toward inclusive and innovation led growth. However, critics point to data suggesting government programs enable poor performance among companies. In response, policymakers have introduced measures to diversify financing, increase the role of capital markets, and improve productivity.

In the United States, 49% of consumers use cash when paying for small-value payments according to a new report from the Federal Reserve Cash Product Office.

Economic research tells us that zip code is destiny. In the San Francisco Fed’s new podcast, President Mary C. Daly finds that’s not always true, sharing stories of people, community, and hope from unlikely places.

Discussion of shadow banking in Asia is often dominated by developments in China, but India’s non-banking financial companies are gaining increasing attention as among the fastest growing in the world. Meanwhile, the bankruptcy of a large Indian NBFC in 2018 has put the sector under media scrutiny. Despite increasing risks to growth, India’s NBFC sector is still on track to expand at a rapid pace as it plays an important role in the financial system.

The American Economic Association named Emi Nakamura the best young American economist for 2019. This John Bates Clark medalist contributes to the San Francisco Fed through her work as a visiting scholar in Economic Research. Photo provided by UC Berkeley.

An estimated 163 million female entrepreneurs across the globe are running their own business. While economies in Asia have relatively high levels of gender parity compared to other regions, women’s entrepreneurial participation still lags behind men. The local business ecosystem, cultural perceptions, and women’s advancement opportunities all play a role in encouraging women’s entrepreneurial pursuits.

Do certain regional economies offer greater opportunity than others for the more than two-thirds of adults without a bachelor’s degree? New research explores the jobs available in 121 of the largest metro areas in the U.S.

The economy is close to the Federal Reserve’s employment and inflation goals, so now is a good time to consider how to keep it running smoothly in the future. This is the focus of the 2019 Fed Listens program, including a San Francisco Fed event on September 26 to discuss managing a hot economy.

We recently partnered with the San Francisco Treasurer’s Office of Financial Empowerment to take a look at student loan debt for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area region using Federal Reserve Bank of New York Consumer Credit Panel/Equifax Data. Here’s what we found.